Rescue
by breakaway07
Summary: The sequel to "Abduction": Mel Patterson was abducted by Sith Lords and now she finds herself in another world where there are so many things to discover and so many more things to watch out for...
1. Prologue

**_Ta Dah! I give you, the long awaited sequel...YAAAAAAAAAAAY!! Enjoy and as always: PLEASE REVIEW!!!_**

* * *

**RESCUE**

**Prologue**

_This is so cool!!_ I thought to myself as I carefully observed my surroundings. I was in a larger Storm Trooper ship; it was much bigger than the one we used to get off Utapau. Oh, hi, I'm not really sure we've met yet. My name is Mel Patterson, I'm 17 years old, and I was recently abducted by Sith Lords. _Patterson, stop talking to yourself again!_ The little voice inside my head chided. _And for God's sake, block out your thoughts!! They know what you're thinking!_ I quickly looked over at where all the Jedi were standing (or in Obi-Wan's case, seated), chatting among themselves, and I saw Obi-Wan looking over at me, grinning mischievously. I returned a small smile and cursed in my head, blocking that thought from him. I sat in an isolated corner, away from the group of Jedi. I know that they're good, but they still intimidated me a little and I couldn't really help it if I was shy. _Come here,_ Obi-Wan's voice rang in my head, _it's OK. We may be a little intimidating but we don't bite._ I looked at him, his friendly grin displayed clearly on his face. In case you didn't notice already, he was the kinda guy who liked to smile lots. I could tell he was trying to be friendly, but I still did not wish to approach the group, feeling a bit like an outsider. _No thanks, we're fine here._ I replied with a smile. I then settled back and looked at the sleeping girl on my lap. Her name was Karis, who was "almost four years old", and she too had been abducted. Although she wasn't related to me and although I did not even know her, I kept being very protective of her. That's what happens when you grow up with five younger brothers.

I returned to observe the chatting Jedi. Obi-Wan looked a few years younger than what Ewan McGregor had impersonated him to be in Episode II, Anakin looked almost exactly like Hayden Christensen in Episode II, and Qui-Gon was downright unrecognisable. I wondered about their ages, and was confused as to wether Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had once been master and apprentice, even if they both looked about the same age. My head spun just at the thought of having to link where I was to the Star Wars timeline…it made no sense at all!

I had already been shivering for a little bit (because, let me tell you right now: space is C-O-L-D!!), but the shivering intensified. I looked down at my hands and saw that my nails were turning slightly blue. I was freezing. I watched the Jedi stand around casually and wondered how they managed to cope with the cold. Then again, none of the Storm Troopers looked as if they were bothered by the cold. Obi-Wan must have noticed me shivering, for he summoned Qui-Gon, and handed him his cloak after whispering a few quick words to him. I dragged my gaze upwards as I saw the tall Jedi approach me. I wasn't afraid, but I sure did feel rather intimidated by this large man. He crouched down in front of me and slipped the large cloak on my shivering shoulders, giving me a reassuring smile.

"It's alright, young one," He spoke gently as he soothed out the cloak, "You are not used to space travel. Your reaction to the cold is completely normal." I moved quickly to don the warm cloak, yet I was not sure if it was warm enough. My eyelids felt heavy, and I felt sleep tug on my mind. I hated having to go to sleep like this, but I was completely exhausted.

"Is it OK if I just close my eyes for a little bit?" I asked Qui-Gon, my eyes half closed.

"Of course," he nodded, brushing my forehead and hair gently with his large hand, "Sleep well, little one."

* * *

Obi-Wan watched as his childhood friend took the child from the girl and deposited her carefully on the crate that Obi-Wan had sat on. He then gently took the cloak from the girl, and threw it over his shoulder, so that he could gingerly cradle the girl, carry her and delicately place her next to the sleeping child. He then threw Obi-Wan's cloak over the two of them, to protect them from the cold. Obi-Wan placed a warm hand on the girl's cold cheek, watching her sleep. 

"She doesn't weight as much as she should." Qui-Gon informed him, whilst gazing down at the sleeping girls, "She may be badly malnourished." Obi-Wan nodded at this information. The girl would have to undergo a thorough health check, anyway, but for some reason he feared for her safety. Perhaps the fear could be due to the fact that he had seen how Xanatos had treated her, and he feared for the worst. He knew exactly what that Sith Lord in particular could do. None of his victims had ever survived. He didn't just kill his captives – no, that was far too easy for him. He tortured them endlessly until they were at his feet begging for death. Obi-Wan knew, he had seen security videos of what he had done. And now they had managed to snatch this girl from him, and he was not too happy about that. He, along with Darth Maul had been the only Sith Lords who had managed to survive and escape. The remaining three were dead.

He looked down at the sleeping teenager and wondered what it was that she had been through, when she began to wince and whimper in her sleep and he frowned. _What is she dreaming about? _He wondered briefly before placing his hand on her forehead and gently entering her mind to see what she was thinking. Thankfully, she hadn't put up any barriers to block her thoughts from him, so he could clearly see what it was she was dreaming about. He was astounded by the images being projected to him. First, there were images for her home world, being attacked by the droid army, then images of her abduction, and then images of several transmissions that were being received from her home planet. Obi-wan frowned when he saw the depth at which she projected the last few images. A couple of days before, he had gone through thoroughly to check all the latest transmissions being received from that planet on the girl's abduction, and the images in the girl's mind did not correspond to the transmissions he had seen. _Strange,_ he thought to himself, _very strange indeed._ He used the Force to block out the harsh thoughts, allowing her mind to rest properly, and he saw her entire body just relax. He brushed her hair lightly and smiled gently, suddenly becoming more curious about her, and hoping that she would be released into his care once she was feeling better.

* * *

Xanatos sat back comfortably into the cockpit of his ship, his eyes closed and his teeth clenched together in anger. The girl was his and no one, not even those Jedi rats, could take her away from him. He would have her back. He knew exactly where they were taking her (that wasn't very hard to think about), and he knew exactly how to penetrate the Temple's defences to get to the girl. Yes, she would be his once more. Yet now Darth Maul was also trying to get hold of her. An innocent, young prey like her attracted many Sith Lords, and now Xanatos would have to kill Maul in order to have the girl for himself. He smiled at the memories of seeing her in pain, watching her react to the pain he inflicted on her. He had enjoyed watching the terror displayed clearly on her face. _This is going to be easy,_ he thought to himself with satisfaction, _I will see her again in fear and pain. She will be mine once more._

But snatching her from under the Jedi's noses was going to be only half the fun. The real enjoyment would begin when he would terrorise her in what was considered the safest place in the galaxy. Xanatos smiled once more. Yes, he was going to enjoy this a lot.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi leaned forth on the viewing window, one of his powerful forearms pushing against the glass wall. His concerned gaze swept over the sleeping girl lying on the white stretcher in front of him. _How did this happen?_ He asked himself in an almost angry manner. The girl's body had begun to shut down whilst in space travel. The cause of this sudden action undertaken by her body was unknown to the Jedi healers, and they sustained that even if this was the girl's second trip into space, the chances of this happening were extremely rare. They had even told him that she was lucky, because if the same thing had happened when the Sith Lords captured her, she would have most likely died. Obi-Wan shook his head slowly and began to focus on his surroundings in an attempt to stray away from those thoughts. It was late in the artificial sleep-cycle in the Jedi Temple, and the waiting room Obi-Wan found himself in was silent. As he shut his eyes and rested his forehead on his arm that pressed against the glass pane, he could hear the blood drumming in his ears. He re-opened his eyes, and stood straighter, hiding a large yawn with the back of his hand. The girl had been asleep for almost two weeks now, and he had never gone to sleep since they had arrived. The Healers had told him that it was normal for her to sleep for such a long period of time, since her body was in great need for rest and recovery – and so did his. Obi-Wan looked down at his severed leg and sighed in frustration. He was still limping from the blow caused by Xanatos's lightsaber, which was unusual as he was able to use the Force to speed up the healing process. He had tried so hard to use the Force to heal the wound, yet nothing would happen. It was almost as if the Force did not 'want' to heal the wound. The fact that he had not slept for two whole weeks did not convince the neither Healers nor the Council that he was fit to continue with this investigation. He let out another frustrated breath as the thought about this. He was capable of depriving his body of sleep and still able to carry on with any given task, all Jedi were capable of doing so, yet there was something that did not convince the Healers or the Council, something that made them look at him in a way that made him feel like a first year student once more.

The door to his left opened and he took his eyes from the girl to look at the Jedi Healer entering the room.

"Master Kenobi," she greeted him with a smile, "I am pleased to inform you that our young guest is finally remaining consciousness." Obi-Wan was relieved to hear this, as it would mean that he would actually be able to relax properly.

"If you wouldn't mind, then, I would like to be by her side for when she wakes." Obi-Wan told her politely, and she led him into the room with a smile. He then sat on a chair that she had brought in and placed next to the stretcher. He intently watched the girl's face, as he saw slight movement under her eyelids. Her head turned to face him as she slowly begun to come to her senses. She opened her eyes slowly, and a small, yet perplexed, frown crossed her features. Obi-Wan smiled gently.

"Hello there," he greeted the waking youth. Her large hazel eyes searched his face.

"W-what happened? W-where am I?" she questioned weakly. The Jedi's large hand soothed out her hair as he looked at her with concern. _You poor girl, what did those monsters do to you?_ He felt like asking, yet he knew that he should not as he might only frighten her by bringing back memories of her ordeal. She tried to sit up, but she hadn't even managed to prop herself up on her elbows when she collapsed back onto the stretcher with a soft groan.

"Easy, young one," he said as he quickly got up to inspect her weakened body. The Healer from before abruptly strode into the room.

"How is everything?" she asked, and regarded the girl with a gentle smile.

"She is still weak," Obi-Wan's voice was filled with concern.

"Ah, yes," she answered this query, "That is to be expected, young Jedi. I believe she is well enough to be released into the care of a Jedi Master." She began to go around, checking all the machinery surrounding the stretcher, and taking notes.

"I will take care of the girl." Obi-Wan informed her abruptly, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Take care of her?" she scoffed, "Master Kenobi, you can barely take care of yourself!" She gestured towards his wounded shin.

"I'm fine," He growled back, "And besides, if I don't take care of her, name one Jedi who will."

"The Council will find a Master to look after her." She answered politely.

"No they won't," he retorted, "Every Master I know is either on a mission or is completing an investigation, and they have to time to dedicate to her. But on the other hand, I'm on strict orders by the Council to rest, hence I have all the time and resources to watch over her." The Healer regarded this Jedi's hot debate.

"I will inform the Council on this," She told him, "They will be the ones to decide. But for now she may remain here. I have unpacked all the equipment, as she is able to heal herself. You are dismissed, Master Kenobi."

"No," he fixed her with a hard gaze, "I will stay. And I will wait." She sighed.

"As you wish," she said and she made her way out. Obi-Wan blew out a sigh when he knew that they were out of earshot, and turned around to face the girl, her large brown eyes struggling to stay open. He went to her and slowly caressed her forehead.

"Sleep, little one," he spoke with a soothing tone, "Rest will help you heal quicker." And with that, he felt her mind slip into sleep once more

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes to see that I was enveloped in darkness. I sat up, and looked around, trying to figure out where I was. I was definitely not in the room where I had last woken up in and my body felt an awful lot more restored. I wondered what time it was, exactly. It felt like the middle of the night, but I wasn't too sure. I slipped out of bed to inspect my surroundings, even though I couldn't see much at all. I then encountered what looked like a large window, which gave a view of the outside world, as well as a slight reflection of me. When I looked into it, I was shocked to see the face staring at me. _Is that what I really look like??_ I wondered to myself in astonishment. My cheeks were caved in, and my eyes seemed larger than usual. I was not aware of having lost so much weight, and was shocked when I touched my cheek as confirmation.

"What are you doing out of bed?" A voice behind me rasped sleepily. I turned around suddenly, yet could see nothing. I suddenly remembered the conversation between Obi-Wan and the lady before, and I wondered who I had ended up with and where I was.

"N-nothing, s-sir." My voice quivered a bit from the fear, yet I knew I couldn't let them know that I was afraid. I heard a sigh.

"Go back to bed, young one," the voice told me, "It is too early in the morning for either of us to wake." I quickly scuffled under the covers and lied still, until I heard his breathing come slowly and evenly. I found myself wondering who this man was. I was certain it was a man, but the sleepiness in his voice masked his identity.

"Young one," the voice was strict this time, "Go to sleep. This is not the adequate time for thinking."

"Sorry, sir." I replied in a small voice. Although I tried my hardest to make myself sleep, I kept tossing and turning, unable to chase away the fears and uncertainties that kept haunting my mind. Well, I guess that's the price you pay for spending 10 days with a group of Sith Lords.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

_I breathed in and out, smelling the sea. I opened my eyes and marvelled at the beautiful beach that was displayed ahead. It was a bright, sunny day, and the swell was perfect. I looked down and saw that I was wearing my bikini and my surfboard was under my arm._

"_Perfection!" I cried out, pleased, and was glad when I looked around to see that no one was actually there to see me act like a fool. I grinned widely. This is all too good to be true…I must be dreaming. The best beach of the world, with perfect surfing conditions, all to myself. I loved the feeling of the sand surrounding my bare feet as I walked the beach, the cool water pooling at my ankles as I approached the ocean. I set my board on the water and paddled out, until I was out the back, and sat back on my board, awaiting my first ride. I looked out, hoping to catch that perfect wave…when there it was, the best unbroken wave I had ever seen. I swiftly turned around and began to paddle, praying hard that I wouldn't miss it, when I felt myself being lifted up. I jumped to my feet, and the adrenalin pumped into my bloodstream as I rode the wave. I loved this, the feeling of it all, the excitement, the strength of the wave driving my board hard. The ride never seemed to end. I then saw a shadow in the wave, and ignored it at first, thinking it was a bit of seaweed drifting with the wave. But drifting seaweed does not move that fast. The shadow came closer and closer until I clearly saw what it was. A shark! I tried to move my board away, but soon enough it had leapt out of the water, jaws open and aiming for my neck. _

I woke up with a jolt, my hand racing to grab my neck. My breath came hard and ragged and it took me a while to realise that the man standing over me was indeed Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, one of his large hands powerfully holding my shoulder, a frown crossing his forehead.

"It's alright, little one," he tried to calm me down, "It was just a dream." I looked up at him, confused. Then I understood what he meant. I looked around and slightly recognised the room I had woken in before. I then saw that against the wall that was opposite to mine was another bed, and that there were no other occupants to the room. My eyes searched Obi-Wan's.

"Who's taking care of me?" I asked him. He grinned mischievously.

"I am, of course." He replied. _So they left me with him after all._ He smiled again.

"That is correct." He responded to my thoughts. He got up. "You must be hungry." I nodded frantically at this and his smile widened as he left and went to a small table near the window I had seen the previous night, to retrieve a plate. When he brought it to me, I saw that there were only about 5 pieces of fruit on it. I must have looked disappointed, for he flashed an apologetic look.

"Sorry, young one, but the Healers strictly told me that I was to feed you no more than this for a while, and to gradually add more food as time progressed," He explained, "You are not used to eating much, so giving you a lot of food at once would most certainly harm you." I nodded, understanding what he was saying and remembering these things from Human Biology. I looked at the fruit curiously.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Java fruit." He responded, "I'm sure you will like it. Try some." I carefully popped a piece into my mouth and chewed. It tasted like a very sweet mango…yummy! I devoured the entire lot.

"That was really good!" I told him whilst still chewing the last piece and he smiled.

"Can you stand?" He asked, and I nodded, slipping out of bed to show him. I felt him watch me as I walked to the large window to see the outside view.

"Where am I?" I questioned him, although I half was expecting what his answer would be.

"As far as you should know, you are safe," he began and I turned around to face him, "But just so you know, you are at the Jedi Temple in Coruscant." _Well, at least some things from the Star Wars dimension I knew of are the same. _I created a mental barrier before I created that thought, not wanting to create any confusion. I frowned.

"Coruscant? Where is that?" I asked to avoid suspicion and he grinned (for the millionth time! Not that I minded, particularly…I was actually beginning to enjoy his company).

"You will find out soon enough." He replied. Just then, the door opened and Qui-Gon walked in.

"Master Yoda wishes to see her." He addressed the other Jedi.

"What? Now??" Obi-Wan seemed a little shocked and perplexed. Qui-Gon nodded.

"He is waiting outside the door." He informed.

"Give us a little while, then." Obi-Wan breathed, and with that, the Jedi walked out. Obi-Wan strode towards me and looked at me in the eye.

"Now listen to me carefully," He told me, "Master Yoda is one of – no, the most powerful Jedi in the temple. We are to show him upmost respect, do you hear me?" I nodded.

"You are to refer to him as 'Master' or 'Master Yoda' at all times. Don't speak unless he speaks to you." He paused for a moment, regarding my almost shocked expression with a compassionate smile. "Don't worry, I will do most of the talking anyway." We then turned around to face the door as it opened. I found myself holding my breath as I waited for Master Yoda to enter. I kept wondering wether or not he would be like the little green man I knew him to be, and again I created a barrier around my thoughts to protect them.

I almost blew out a relieved breath when I saw the small creature that was Yoda make his way in.

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan greeted him with a curt bow of his head.

"Master Kenobi," Yoda responded. "Recovering well you are, I trust." He then turned to look at me with his large green eyes.

"Melanie Patterson," he spoke gently, "Seeing you well brings warm feelings to my heart." I smiled gently at him.

"Yes, I am fine, thank you Master." I spoke. _Is that all you could come up with, you twat? _I cursed to myself in my head. His ears stood up and he closed his eyes, like he was sensing something.

"Hmmm, interesting." He spoke half to himself. He then looked back at Obi-Wan, "Coping well with the medication she is."

"Yes, she is, Master Yoda," the taller Jedi answered with a slight frown. I knew by now that Jedi could read thoughts and perhaps talk to each other via their own minds, and I summarised that this was precisely what they were doing, as I saw them give each other strange looks.

"Speak to you in private, I must, Master Kenobi," Yoda finally said, and left, Obi-Wan following the older master out the door.

* * *

"Strong with the Force she is." Yoda spoke for the first time after they had left Obi-Wan's quarters and now they were walking to – where else if not the Room of a Thousand Fountains?

"Strong in the Force?" Obi-Wan pressed the matter forwards. "But Master Yoda, I am quite certain that neither I nor any other Jedi she has come into contact with have felt her to be Force-sensitive."

"Hear me you did not," Yoda chided, "Strong with the Force, I said, not in the Force."

"I do not understand what it is that you are trying to say, Master," Obi-Wan insisted.

"Surround her the Force does not, rather live within her it does." Yoda tried to explain.

"Isn't that the same as her being Force sensitive?" Obi-Wan asked, becoming a little impatient.

"No," Yoda replied calmly, "Live within the Force we do, yet the Force lives within her. She is the Force." Obi-Wan was shocked and excited at the same time.

"Are you saying that she's a-" He voiced his excitement.

"A Whisperer? Yes, Obi-Wan, exactly what I am saying that is." Yoda concluded gravely.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn listened patiently as his friend recounted of what had happened before hand with the girl and Master Yoda.

"A Whisperer? Are you sure, Obi-Wan?" he questioned the slightly younger Jedi.

"I didn't sense it." The second Knight replied, "You should ask Master Yoda for confirmation." His cheeky grin flashed. Qui-Gon always saw him as younger brother for some reason, and it must have been due to the fact that he was a good 6 months older than Obi-Wan. At the same time, Obi-Wan saw him as an older brother, consulting him during times like these, where he was unsure as to how to proceed with the girl. Qui-Gon smiled. Obi-Wan had never been good with the younger students, and was renown for being one of the few Jedi who were reluctant to take on an apprentice due to his difficulty to deal with youngsters. He just did not know where to start, and with this girl it was no different. Obi-Wan didn't have a clue as to what he was expected to do or how he should behave towards her. He had often sought for Qui-Gon's advice during the past days, because since he was the one with a teenaged apprentice, he should be more experienced. But this was different – not only was she a girl but she came from a planet they knew little of and now the situation had complicated itself. Qui-Gon was afraid that he would not be of much use to his friend after all.

"Where is she now, anyway," Qui-Gon questioned.

"In my quarters, of course." Obi-Wan replied, almost rolling his eyes like a child.

"You left her alone?!" The older Jedi was shocked, "Obi-Wan, are you mad?! Don't you remember what happened to the last Whisperer?"

"Of course I do," Obi-Wan stated, "That's why we're going back now."

"Force! Why did you not tell me before?" Qui-Gon muttered as he quickened his pace.

"It isn't like she will run away as well," Obi-Wan replied as they approached the door to his quarters, his voice a little too loud.

"Be quiet! She mustn't hear us!" Qui-Gon snapped quietly, "Now listen carefully: do not, and I repeat, do not let her know what you have found out about her today, understand?" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

"For star's sake, Qui-Gon, I know," he replied, "I'm not completely hopeless."

"And do not ever let her out of your sight," Qui-Gon told him strictly, "She must not get away."

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan responded, sarcastically, "Honestly, Qui-Gon, do you not think that I can handle her?" Qui-Gon grinned.

"Well, let's just say that I have my doubts, yes." He answered playfully.

"And stop treating me like I'm your apprentice." Obi-Wan told him. Qui-Gon laughed.

"I'll try my best." He replied as they opened the door. To their utter shock, the quarters were empty.

* * *

I hummed tunelessly as I explored Obi-Wan's room and waited for him to return. I wondered what it was that Yoda told him that I couldn't hear, and why it was that they were acting so strangely around me. After quite a while I hear voices outside the door. I pressed my ear against it hard so I could hear what was being said. I was just too curious to find out what was happening. 

"It isn't like she will run away as well," I recognised Obi-Wan's voice. _What does he mean by that? _I thought, slightly alarmed, being carefully to protect my thoughts from them.

"Be quiet! She mustn't hear us!" I heard Qui-Gon say, "Now listen carefully: do not, and I repeat, do not let her know what you have found out about her today, understand?" I was becoming more and more frightened…_what are they talking about? What's happening?_

"For star's sake, Qui-Gon, I know," Obi-Wan's voice replied, "I'm not completely hopeless."

"And do not ever let her out of your sight," Qui-Gon's voice stated, "She must not get away." I swallowed hard, and tears pricked my eyes. _I knew it, _I thought in sadness and horror, _the Jedi were evil as well, after all_. All at once, I was scared and unsure as to what to do and how to proceed. I suddenly remembered there being a sort of air vent under the table near the window, and I quickly approached it. I ripped off the surprisingly fragile grate and slid in. _This is it…I'm getting outta here._ I thought as I made my way into the dark tunnel. Soon enough, I came face to face with the exit to the outside world of Coruscant. I kicked the grate hard and ran out, sprinting away of the Temple in tears. I had to escape from whatever it was that they had planned for me. My escape plan was going fabulously well, until I realised that I didn't actually know where I was going or what I would do once I had escaped. I came to a sudden halt and looked back to see that I was quite a while away from the Temple. I caught my breath – which by now was coming out in loud sobs – and wiped away the tears clouding my vision. I then saw that I was in a very unpleasant place. You could say that it easily resembled a dark alley from Earth…only that this wasn't and alley, it was a whole street. And the people walking along it perfectly matched the mood of the street, dark and dangerous. This was bad. Correction: this was very bad. _How did I manage to get here in the first place??_ I wondered and decided, to walk away quickly and mind my own business, so I could find a nicer looking street, perhaps. I ignored the sneering beings that passed me, and quickly strode away. When someone grabbed my arm from behind. I pulled away and screamed at the same time, glancing behind me to see whom it was that had gotten hold of me. There I saw a man that was not only incredibly tall, but full of muscles as well. His clothing was dark and rough, his head was bald, his dark eyes locked onto my face, a possessive grin clearly displayed on his face. I screamed again, and this time he grabbed my shoulders and easily slammed me against a metal wall behind me.

"Quiet now, sweetness," he muttered whilst still smiling. I winced in pain, and refused to cry out.

"Let go of me!" I demanded, trying to attract attention from anyone who would be able to help me, but of course no one stopped – or even looked in my direction for that matter.

"Now then," He taunted, "What do you say if you come around to my place for a little bit." Disgusted, I spat at his face.

"In. Your. Dreams. Loser." I gritted. I forcefully tired to push him away, but of course he didn't move an inch.

"Is that so?" He continued, this time, his hands went to my hips, grabbing the waistband of my jeans.

"NO!" I hollered in fear, and gathered all the strength in my body to push him away. What happened next, I will remember for the rest of my life. As I pushed him away, he was hurled back hard, his entire body banging against the opposite wall and leaving a huge dent into the metal. I covered my mouth in horror with both of my hands as I saw him lying there senselessly, blood slipping down the side of his head. _Did I just kill him?_ I though in horror. I turned to face my right and saw that Qui-Gon, Anakin and Obi-Wan were standing there, staring at me. I then ran for it without thinking twice. _Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! I just killed someone!!_ I thought in fear, the tears pricking at my eyes just at the thought of what I had done. I wasn't paying attention as to what I was doing, and when I turned a corner, I ran straight into Obi-Wan's chest. He grabbed both my wrists, before I had a chance to escape, and the tears by now were slipping down my cheeks.

"Let me go!" I hollered as I pulled at his grip and pushed against him in a vain attempt to get away from him. He then pulled me against him in a tight embrace, and I could not help but break down in sobs and tears in his arms.

"Ssh, it's alright little one," He murmured gently as he let me cry like a baby in his arms. He then moved slightly, an indication that he was going to take me back.

"No," I protested weakly as he scooped me up in his arms, "Please."

"Ssh," He gently hushed me, "We will never hurt you, young one. You will always be safe with us."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

Qui-Gon and Anakin escorted us back to the Temple, and no one said a word as we (or rather – they, since Obi-Wan was carrying me) made our way back.

"Thank you both for your help," Obi-Wan finally broke the heavy silence as we approached his room, "I'll handle it from here." Qui-Gon stepped forwards and opened the door for Obi-Wan.

"Are you sure?" He asked his friend.

"I'm sure that I can take care of this matter," Obi-Wan responded heavily, making me cringe a little. It made me feel like Simba, in the movie 'The Lion King', where his father tells him off. Qui-Gon nodded wordlessly and closed the door. Obi-Wan carried me to his bed, where he gently sat me down on it. I looked up and met his stern gaze. I retreated a little until my back hit the wall, preventing me to move any more away from him.

"Melanie Patterson," he began with a frustrated sigh, "What did you just do?" I winced because his words stung by bringing back the memories.

"M-master, I d-didn't mean to…h-he was…he t-tried to-" I tried to find the right words to justify what I had done but I couldn't, and I felt the knot in my throat again. Yet with a single finger on my lips he was able to silence me.

"I did not mean that, little one," his voice was gentler, "Why did you run away?" I remembered the conversation I overheard and I tried to put it in words to explain to him, but another sigh from Obi-Wan told me that he had already read my thoughts and understood what had happened.

"I'm afraid you may have assumed things that are incorrect, young one," he explained, "I cannot reveal to you what it was that we were discussing, only that it is nothing that you should be worried about." I remembered the man I killed.

"But Master…what happened with that man…I swear it was an accident, I didn't mean to kill him." I spoke quickly, feeling the tears rise again. And he chuckled softly.

"Little one, it's alright, you didn't kill him," he told me as he wrapped me in his arms, "You did stun him, though. It ought to teach him a lesson." He chuckled again.

"But, Master…what if I do it again and actually manage to kill someone?" I demanded, alarmed that he wasn't taking this seriously. I pulled away from his embrace.

"It will not happen again," He said whilst reaching for me once more, "I promise you."

"Master?" I asked after dodging his hands, "Does this mean that I'm force sensitive?" I had momentarily forgotten myself, and once I realised what I had said, I covered my mouth with my hands and looked up at his face, wide-eyed. His frown deepened when I quickly shuffled away from him to the foot of the bed.

"What?" He asked quietly.

"N-nothing, Master, just ignore what I said." I spoke quickly, and pressed myself even more into the corner created by the bed and the wall as I saw him slowly approach me. His hand slipped under my chin, gently holding me to prevent me from looking away.

"What did you just say?" He repeated. I shook my head out of his grasp.

"Nothing, Master, nothing." I muttered, intimidated by him. _How am I going to explain it to him?? He was bound to find out…but how am I going to explain this??_

"Little one," His voice commanding me to tell him. I gathered my courage and managed to look up at him. To my amazement, his gaze was not harsh or angry; rather he was concerned and extremely curious. I released a shaky breath.

"It's a long story," I warned him. He leaned back, making himself comfortable.

"We have time." He encouraged me. And so, I told him everything I knew about the Star Wars universe I grew up with. As I told him the whole story, I kept watching his face to see his reaction to what it was that I told him. He seemed to be very amused by what I revealed to him, especially when I told him that he was supposedly Qui-Gon's apprentice and Anakin was to be his apprentice.

"So, according to what you have been told on your planet, I'm a fictional character?" He questioned after listening to me talk for hours, his eyes sparking.

"Technically speaking, yes." I replied with a smile of my own. He chuckled, and with one hand tucked my loose hair behind my ear to better see my face. He was lying on his back, stretched out on his bed, and I was lying next to him, propped up on my elbows, my stomach sinking into the mattress.

"Well, now you know that I'm not," he spoke, "And so will the rest of your planet."

"What do you mean?" I asked frowning and he grinned widely.

"We're going to have to return you sometime," he explained playfully, "We can't keep you forever."

"I guess not." I answered, laughing. I set myself down so that my arms rested on the mattress and I put my head onto them, facing Obi-Wan. I had, in the space of a few hours, grown fond of him, and now found that I felt completely safe and comfortable around him. It was a feeling that I had never experienced around anyone before, not even my own parents. I winced a little at the memories of them and of how we always argued, how I always kept telling myself that they were better off without me. I now wondered if that was true, and if they even cared that I had gone missing. I had forgotten to block my thoughts and Obi-Wan had picked up on them. I silently buried my face in my arms, not wanting to hear what he was going to say because I knew that it was going to be the same stuff that everyone told me all the time: that my parents really did care about me, and that they missed me "so very much". I knew that they were all lying just to ease their own heartache. I knew because it's what I would have said had I been in their shoes. However, Obi-Wan didn't say anything, instead his large hand smoothed out my hair gently.

I felt like crying. Yet I didn't do it, because I knew what the reaction was from everyone when they saw you in tears. They looked at you like you were weak and insignificant, undeserving of any attention at all. My parents had always told me that to cry in front of others was like to bare your soul to them, and it was a shameful thing to do, hence why I always only cried when I was alone in my room. Yet when I actually looked up at Obi-Wan – and to my horror, the tears were slipping down my face – he did not show disgust or resent, rather his eyes reflected his concern and caring for me. He gently pulled me towards him and I allowed my head to rest on his shoulder, and I burst into sobs. I felt him cup my chin gently and lift my head to meet his gaze.

"What is wrong, little one?" He asked gently, whilst surveying my tear-streaked face.

"It's just that…" I began when I managed to calm down a little, "I've never felt this way about anyone before. The way I feel about you…" I didn't know how to voice my feelings.

"You're not in love with me, are you little one?" He asked, amused. I looked into his eyes, and gave a small smile.

"No, of course not," I replied, almost laughing, "It's just that…no-one's ever care about me this much, Master."

"Oh, little one," He murmured and pulled me into a tight hug, crushing me against his chest. It was then that I decided that I would have to just enjoy his company whilst it lasted, because I wasn't going to meet many people like him. I pushed away the thoughts of sadness, of having to one day face those people who never cared about me, and who will never care about me, and looked up into Obi-Wan's face.

"Master?" I spoke gently, yet my soft voice was enough to attract his attention to where I was.

"Yes, little one?" He asked.

"When will you start to call me by my real name?" I teased with a small smile, "That term you use makes me feel like I'm a child."

"Well, for one thing, you still are a child," He informed me, his grin clearly displayed on his lips, "And may I ask when is it that you will stop calling me 'Master'? It makes me feel old." I couldn't help but laugh.

"What would you rather be called, then?" I questioned.

"Obi-Wan will do." He answered.

"Alright then…um…Master Obi-Wan" I retorted, a little unsure. He laughed.

"Good enough, little one." He replied, when I heard a chiming noise. With a slight sigh, he got up and went to the door – or rather, next to the door, where there was a panel. He spoke into it.

"Yes?" He questioned.

"Master Obi-Wan? It's Anakin," A voice filled the room, "Master Qui-Gon would like to speak to you."

"Alright, thank you, Anakin." Obi-Wan answered, "Tell him that I will be straight there."

"And Master?" Anakin's voice requested, "I was wondering…well…I am meeting up with a few friends of mine in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. I was wondering if Melanie would like to join us." Obi-Wan looked at me, and I nodded, a little disappointed that they didn't trust me to stay alone again, but excited that I was going to meet more Jedi. Well, apprentices to be exact.

"Yes, thank you, Anakin," Obi-Wan responded, "Melanie would be more than happy to join you. If you will just wait for a moment, we will be out shortly."

"Of course, Master," the apprentice acknowledged. Obi-Wan went into another room that I did not even noticed, and suddenly realised that it was a sort of bathroom.

"I know that it may seem like I don't trust you," Obi-Wan spoke as he adjusted his hair, "But I really see this more as an opportunity for you to meet people closer to your age." Then seeing the unspoken question written on my face, he smiled and added,

"Anakin and his friends are only two years older than you are, young one. I see this as the perfect opportunity for you to meet people who are younger than me or Qui-Gon."

"By the way, how old are you two?" I asked as I playfully shoved him to use the mirror so I could see if I looked decent enough.

"We are both thirty, little one," He replied, and gently wrapped one arm around my stomach, lifting me a little, just enough so my feet couldn't touch the floor, and pushed me out of the room, "so I suggest that you begin to have some respect for your elders." I squealed and giggled as he pushed me out. I could tell that we were going to enjoy each other's company, and that when it would be time to say goodbye, it would be hard for the both of us.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

I gasped when Obi-Wan pushed me out his room with enough force to make me fall over and land against a stunned Anakin. I turned to him to face the Jedi Knight.

"Thanks for that," I growled playfully. He grinned widely.

"You're welcome, little one," He responded before regarding Anakin. "I will come for her, so don't worry about bringing her back."

"What if you forget?" I teased him. His eyes glimmered as he looked at me.

"Then Master Qui-Gon will have to put up with you, won't he?" He retorted, "Run along then, you two." He waved us off, and we did as we were told. As I walked next to Anakin, I realised for the first time how tall he actually was: he was probably just under 2 meters tall.

"Does that man always behave like that?" I asked him as we walked. He smiled.

"Sometimes," He answered, "Qui-Gon says that he does it because he used to being one of the youngest Knights in the Temple, so he feels authorised to behave in that manner." I laughed at this.

"But your master is the same age as Obi-Wan." I told him.

"Sort of," He responded, "Obi-Wan is six months younger." I nodded in comprehension. Anakin suddenly grinned again.

"He sure does have a soft spot for you," He remarked, and I looked up at him in confusion.

"He is known by the students to be one of the strictest Knights around. One of their greatest fears is to be told off by Obi-Wan." He explained whilst looking down at me, "You seem to have handled him well."

"Indeed," I laughed, "I just have him wrapped around my finger." He smiled, confused. _Oh, that's right…that's an expression from Earth._ I reminded myself.

"It means that I have complete control over him." I explained, and Anakin burst out laughing at this. I noticed that we arrived at our destination, and I saw a large group of people around Anakin's age sitting around on the grass. I froze and I felt my heart in my throat. The familiar sense of fear crept into my stomach of when I met strangers. Anakin seemed to sense this, and gave me a slight, encouraging push forwards.

"It's OK," he spoke gently, "They may be a little frightening at a first glance, but they won't attack you." He grinned, and I gave a small smile back, not wanting to show that I was scared to death about meeting these people. Someone called out to Anakin and I looked up to see a grinning face gesturing for us to join a small group of people.

"Come on," he encouraged, "follow me." He lightly took my shirtsleeve and guided me through the large mass of people. As we zigzagged through the group, I met a few curious and intimidating glances, and I instinctively grabbed Anakin's cloak sleeve.

"Hey, girl!" A voice to my right taunted, "Where are you from? The planet to losers?"

"Shut up, Garth," Anakin snapped, and wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders, "Mind your own business."

"Don't mind him," He told me quietly as we approached a small, excluded group, "He's just an idiot, plain and simple." We approached the group of three smiling humans, two boys and one girl.

"Melanie, these are Ferus, Tru, and Darra," Anakin introduced his friends for me, and I was not surprised to find that Ferus was Anakin's friend because I had gotten used to the strangeness of this dimension.

"Wow, Anakin, this is the first time you've introduced me to a good-looking girl," Ferus remarked whilst looking at me, and I caught myself blushing slightly.

"Yeah, you'd better wish that she hasn't been taken yet." Tru retorted and they laughed.

"Oh, stop it you two, you're embarrassing her," Darra chided, "Here, Melanie, come and sit next to me." She gestured to a spot on the grass near her and I went to her with a small smile.

"Ignore them," she told me when I sat down, "boys will be boys. There isn't much we can do about that, Melanie."

"You can call me Mel you know," I informed them, shyly, "Not many people call me by my full name." They all nodded, and the boys started to have a conversation about ships and droids.

"So you're the kid from the Unknown Planet, huh?" Darra asked casually.

"What…you mean Earth? Yeah, that's where I'm from." I said with a grin, "And a lot of other people seem to know that too." I added whilst throwing a nervous glance at the larger group that sat further away from us.

"Don't mind them," Darra muttered, noticing my uncomfortable state, "Most of them don't even know what they're talking about. Take Garth for example." She gestured towards the boy who had called out to me before. "He's always trying to be funny by making fun of others, but most of us don't ever find it the least bit amusing." I nodded in understanding. _So in other words, he's just a jerk._ I thought, and forgot to create a mental barrier, which allowed Darra to look into what I was thinking. She laughed.

"That's right," she remarked, "You're getting the hang of things around here quite quickly." I smiled. _Yeah, I guess that I am, hey?_

_

* * *

_Obi-Wan paused after hours of talking. He carefully observed the remaining three occupants of the dark room. Qui-Gon and Mace Windu watched him intently, absorbing what he had just told them, and Yoda seemed to be ready to speak about the matter. 

"Agree with you, I do," he told Obi-Wan, "Not know of her potential the girl should. Only frighten her it will." The young Jedi nodded.

"Does she know about the Sith who have escaped your attack?" Mace asked, and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon looked at each other.

"No, Master," Obi-Wan spoke for the both of them, "And I do not think that she should be told about them. It will only uselessly worry her."

"Do as you feel is right you must," Yoda replied.

"What of the stories she has told me?" Obi-Wan questioned, "What do we make of those?"

"We already knew about these, Obi-Wan," Mace explained with a grin, "Movies of this…story has been projected to us from the planet." There was a small pause amongst the four Jedi.

"When will we know as to what side of the Force she belongs to?" Obi-Wan suddenly questioned with urgency.

"Sense I do your worry for her, Obi-Wan," Yoda commented, "But answer this I cannot. Reveal herself she will once time has come."

"You should not grow attached to her, Obi-Wan" Mace recommended, "It will only make more painful for you to part with her." _Force! I have only been with her for a few days and yet I have already gotten attached to her…how is this possible? _Obi-Wan bit his lip hard. Indeed, how was it that he could become so attached to someone he knew so little? There was just something about her…suddenly all of their comm. links signalled. Mace picked up his.

"Yes?" He spoke into it.

"Master Windu, there is an emergency," A voice spoke back, "A young initiate has gone missing. We cannot find him anywhere." Mace sighed in frustration.

"Very well," he stated, "Masters Yoda, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and myself will help you to find the boy. Who is he?"

"Ryan Teed," the voice answered. Mace shut his eyes and suppressed a loud groan.

"Not again," He muttered, "We will help you to find Ryan." And with that, he put away his comm. link.

"Search for the boy with Qui-Gon I will," Yoda spoke, "Need to speak to you I must, Master Jinn." Obi-Wan hid a smirk. He knew his friend didn't particularly enjoy being called by his last name…not that Obi-Wan preferred to be referred to as Master Kenobi either.

Qui-Gon silently followed the older master out the door.

"Check the West side we will," Yoda told the remaining two Masters, "Meet at the crèche we should once finished we have." Mace and Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

"Remember the girl you do not, Master Qui-Gon?" Yoda asked with a small smile. The Jedi he spoke to looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Remember her?" He questioned, "What do you mean?"

"No recall of your first mission you have, hmm?" The older Jedi prompted. With a frown, Qui-Gon took his mind back to his first mission. Back when he was 13 years old…it had now been seventeen years ago. He tried to remember what had happened. _We were to go to a planet I had never heard of. There had been reports that a bounty hunter was searching for a subject on that planet for a famous scientist interested in unveiling the ways of the force. He or she was most like after a force-sensitive child. We managed to track down the bounty hunter, and found her on a dark, deserted street, with a small, squirming bundle in one of her arms. We attacked her, being careful to not harm the child and to take it from the bounty hunter. We managed to do just that, and my Master praised me for my lightsaber skills. He held the now wailing child in one arm. _

"_Here," he handed it over to me, "I heard that you are quite good with children. See if you can quieten her down."_

"_Her?" I asked, "Master, how do you know that it's a girl?" I only had to look at her small face to answer my question, the femininity somehow clearly displayed there. She soon clamed down and looked up at me with a gaze so sharp that it startled me. I began to examine her with the force, but found nothing, just a small baby that had started to play with my fingers, which gently brushed her face. _

"_Master, she isn't force-sensitive." I informed him. _

"_I know," he replied, just as concerned as I was, "We will inform the council immediately. For now, let's return her back to her home." I looked at the street full of houses in confusion. _

"_I believe that she was snatched from that house," my Master indicated, answering my unspoken question, "Look at the footprints on the grass. Bounty hunters these days…" I grinned and walked to the front door. It was strange, like all the houses there, the whole house was strange. I had never encountered anything like it before. Before I could proceed to knock on the door, my Master grabbed me by the collar. _

"_Padawan, are you mad?!" He growled in a whisper, "They cannot see us!" I was about to ask why, when I decided to keep my mouth shut. We went to one side of the house, where there was an open window. Inside was a small, empty crib. _

"_Put her inside, and let's get out of here," my Master urged, "It will be morning soon." I quickly complied, climbing through the window and carefully placing the now smiling and curious girl back into her safe crib. I was about to leave when she shot her arms up towards me and began to make a lot of noise. _

"_Make her be quite," my Master hissed from outside, "She'll wake up her parents." I went back to the crib and allowed the baby to hold onto my much larger fingers for a little bit. _

"_It's OK," I reassured her, and she looked up at me with those big hazel eyes and gurgled happily, "You're safe now." I then used the Force to make her tired, and I watched as her eyes blinked heavily and she yawned largely. _

"_May the Force be with you, little one," I found myself saying before disappearing through the window._ Qui-Gon came back to the present. Yoda looked at him expectantly.

"That child," the younger Jedi spoke to him, "That child was…Melanie?"

"Afraid I am that know of her powers Zan Arbor does." The older Master agreed.

* * *

"Do the Sith know about her…potential?" Obi-Wan questioned urgently.

"Let's hope not." Mace replied with a worried expression, "It will only make them more determined to get hold of her." Obi-Wan swallowed hard and felt a sudden urge to see what that girl was up to. The more he realised in how much danger she was, the greater his urge to protect her grew. As if hearing his worries, Mace turned to him with a sympathetic look on his face.

"We will go to wherever you have left her," He suggested to the young Jedi, "We can start looking for the boy there."

"Then let's go this way," Obi-Wan directed his older friend to another path, "She's in the Room of a Thousand Fountains with Anakin and the Senior Padawans." He silently, in his mind, thanked the Force for having a friend and mentor like Mace around during a time like this.

* * *

Suddenly, I heard a small, yet attention-drawing, sob coming from behind me. I turned around and only saw a dense bush area, covered with exotic plants.

"Did you hear that?" I questioned Darra.

"Hear what?" she responded, confused. I then looked at Anakin.

"Can I go and have a look over there?" I asked politely, and he nodded.

"I'll be right back," I promised to Darra. She gave me a grateful smile.

"Thanks, I don't think I would be able to stand them for long," She rolled her eyes, "All they ever talk about it machinery. And, stars above, they'll never stop!" I grinned and disappeared into the dense bushland. I didn't have to go far before I saw a crying boy, sitting in a small clearing. I tried to approach the kid with a friendly smile, and he looked up at me, alarmed.

"Ssh, it's OK," I tried to reassure him, as he whimpered quietly and pushed himself into a plant behind him, "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"What's wrong?" I asked him gently when I slowly got closer, "Are you hurt? Or maybe you're lost?" The little boy, who could not have been older than three years old, shook his head and a small hiccup escaped his throat. I extended an arm towards him.

"Why don't you come with me?" I suggested, "I'm sure we can find someone who can help you." At this his eyes grew wide with terror.

"N-no…please…" the little boy stumbled, "The Masters will be mad at me." I saw his eyes well up with tears once more and my heart went out to him. I decided that if I distracted him for long enough, Anakin should come looking for me and could probably be of some help to this little fellow.

"OK," I tried to go on whilst sitting down near where he was, "Why don't you tell me your name?"

"I'm Ryan," the boy responded, seeming to take well my distraction, "What's yours?"

"Mel," I replied, "Pleased to meet you Ryan." _That was a bit of a stupid thing to say, wasn't it?_ I noticed that he was shivering.

"Are you cold?" I questioned gently, and he nodded frantically. I opened my arms to him, and he came swiftly to me, snuggling against my arms and torso. As I gently brushed away his sandy hair from his face, I saw the tears slip down his cheeks once more.

"What's wrong?" I asked him cautiously, "Am I hurting you?" He looked up at me with wide eyes, and his hands firmly clutched at my shirt.

"No," He managed to force out of his tightly clenched throat.

"Then what is it that's bothering you?" I questioned further, whilst continuing to brush his hair gently with my fingers. At my question, Ryan buried himself further into my shirt and burst into sobs.

"I miss my mummy," he whimpered between each shaky sob.

"Ssh, it's OK," was the only thing I managed to utter to comfort the crying boy in my arms. I gently rocked back and forth to try to calm Ryan with actions, rather than words.

"Little one," I recognised Obi-Wan's voice coming from behind me, "What are y-" He was cut off when he saw the small boy that I held in my arms. The Jedi grinned widely.

"Looks like we managed to find the both of you in one hit," He muttered as he slowly approached a now very scared-looking boy and me.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

"Surely I cannot be that frightening?" Obi-Wan frowned deeply as he saw the little boy in my arms squirm uncomfortably.

"No," I answered him, in an attempt to lighten the situation, "but you can be quite horrible when you really want to." Obi-Wan regarded me with a grin, yet Ryan was still tense.

"What is wrong, little Ryan?" The Master's voice was now very gentle, and I started to feel an aura of comfort and gentleness coming from him. He was probably using the Force to calm the boy down. The kid sobbed and I held him tightly against me.

"It's OK," I tried to encourage him. Ryan looked up at the Jedi with his big, blue eyes that were filled with tears.

"I miss my mummy, Master Kenobi," he managed to explain with a small voice, and he squirmed a little when Obi-Wan's thumb ran along a tear-streaked cheek.

"You mustn't be afraid," The large man told the little boy, "I'm here to help you, not to frighten you." He examined the kid for a little while.

"Master Ali says that we are not supposed to miss our family," Ryan explained to the Jedi, getting a little bolder, "He said that this is our family." He paused for a moment.

"Master, will I ever become a Jedi?" The little boy asked with a broken voice, and I saw Obi-Wan's gaze soften.

"Of course you will, youngling," The Jedi replied, "You are just having a hard time to settle in. I'm sure Master Ali-Alann will help you, he is awfully worried about you." He offered an arm to the youngster, and Ryan swiftly crawled out of my arms, and into his.

"I guess the students will no longer know you as a harsh Jedi then," I told Obi-Wan with a grin.

"Yes, I suppose so." He replied and we both laughed.

* * *

Sometime in the middle of the night, Obi-Wan awoke to feel a presence near him. His eyes suddenly flew open and his left hand flew to grab at his lightsaber before he had even taken the time to search for the identity of the intruder. Yet his hand ran into something resting on the mattress. Using the Force, as well as his hand, he discovered that the intruder was Melanie. She had curled up next to his bed, and her head was resting on the mattress, where his hand had been just moments before. She was sound asleep, and by simply feeling the wetness on her cheeks, Obi-Wan knew that the girl had had a nightmare of some sort. She came awake all at once, and he could half see her eyes landing on him.

"M-master…I'm…I-I…" She muttered as she desperately tried to scramble away from him, but he prevented any further form of escape by grabbing her wrist.

"I d-didn't mean to…I-I'm sorry…I…" She tried to find the right words to explain herself as the large Jedi pulled her towards him.

"It's alright, little one," He spoke gently as he cupped her face with his free hand, "There is no need to apologise."

"However," He stopped the youth, who had started to try and squirm away from his grip, "I would like to know what it is that is bothering you." She immediately stopped struggling and looked down.

"Nothing, Master," she replied, her voice broken, "It was just a nightmare." He flashed her a friendly smile.

"It doesn't look like it was just a nightmare to me." He examined. As a response, she looked up at him with a small smile, before throwing her arms around his neck and bursting into sobs. The concerned Knight gently lifted up the crying girl and settled her next to him on his sleep couch, before wrapping a warm blanket around the both of them. He held her tightly against him, as he used the Force to comfort her.

"Why don't you tell me what this dream was about?" He suggested when she began to quieten down. She regarded him with an insecure gaze.

"I don't know how to put it in words…" She trailed off, not knowing as to how to proceed.

"Show me," The Jedi prompted quietly, and the girl slowly nodded in agreement.

"OK," She stated simply, and he felt her head duck under his chin, the side of her face pressing tightly against him. Obi-Wan was shocked when he saw the images being projected to him. They were memories of the girl's ordeal; he could see what she had been through her eyes.

* * *

_I was flung across the room, where my back was bashed against the wall near the door. I was fixed in place, and I watched helplessly as he walked up to me. When he stood right in front of me, I was released and Xanatos gripped my shoulders tightly, pinning me to the wall easily. I willed my body to fight back, but I couldn't move a muscle from the pain of the impact with the wall. When I finally looked up at him, he was smiling in an almost gentle manner again. _

"_Pity," he began "pretty girls like you don't deserve to be hurt." What he did next will haunt me for the rest of my life. He leaned forwards and kissed my lips.

* * *

_

"_You have been sold as a slave." Xanatos plainly explained, and all the blood in my face was drained at the news. _

"_To whom?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper from the shock. _

"_The highest bidder." He spoke as he leaned back against the wall behind him, clearly enjoying my discomfort. _

"_Who was the highest bidder?" I asked softly, not wanting to hear the answer. _

"_Me." He replied and I almost fainted from the shock.

* * *

_

_By the fifth lash I was given, I was begging him to stop and by the tenth, I could feel my warm blood cover the entirety of my back. I was given twenty lashes._

* * *

_Xanatos leaned closer and I squeezed my eyes shut, not really knowing what to expect. I felt him kiss my neck and I automatically tried to squirm away. As a response, he gently pressed forwards, pushing me into the soft mattress. I whimpered quietly and tried to push him away, wanting him to stop. He did not relent, instead leaning further forwards and kissing my lips to silence my quiet protests._

* * *

_I whimpered and culched my stomach as Xanatos repeatedly kicked me like a stray dog._

* * *

"He's coming for me, Obi-Wan," The girl's broken voice tore him from the shocking images, "He's coming to get me." He gingerly cupped her face with his hands and looked down at her.

"No one is coming for you," He promised her, "You are safe with me and I will never let anything like that happen to you again. You have my word, little one." She shook her head furiously in his hands.

"No, Obi-Wan, you don't understand," her voice spoke quickly, "I am putting you all in danger. I won't let him hurt anyone who is trying to protect me."

"Don't say that," he chided the weeping youth, "We are here to protect innocent people like you. No Jedi in this temple will ever allow you to be taken away and be treated in that manner."

"I'm so confused," She sobbed, "I don't want any of you to get hurt, but I don't want to be in Xanatos's grip ever again."

"No one is going to get hurt, little one," the large Jedi reassured her, "And you will never be threatened by anyone like Xanatos. I promise." She nodded slowly.

"I'm so scared, Obi-Wan," she began, but he put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"You don't need to be afraid, young one," He said, "You will always be safe with us." And with that, he pulled the sobbing youngster into a tight hug.

"Thank you," She managed to whisper against him.

"Ssh, sleep," He comforted, "It was just a nightmare."

* * *

Qui-Gon Jinn swiftly strode to Obi-Wan's quarters the next morning. He had great news for his friend: the Clones Intelligence Unit had almost been able to establish some form of communication with the Unknown Planet – _Earth, Qui-Gon_, he corrected himself. The Council had instructed him not to tell the girl, so that she would not be given any false hope, in case the communication did not succeed. Qui-Gon had agreed: the girl had enough to deal with.

He sounded the chiming device on Obi-Wan's door…but there was no answer. He frowned, as it was not early in the morning, and Obi-Wan was usually up and about at this hour. Also, he couldn't have left the quarters, since Qui-Gon knew that the younger Jedi would have contacted him about it. He sounded the chiming device for a second time, and again there was no reply. Qui-Gon swiftly entered the code to open the door. He knew Obi-Wan's code, just as Obi-Wan knew his. When he stepped into the room, the sight in front of him softened his heart.

There, on Obi-Wan's sleep, couch were both the Jedi and the girl were fast asleep, holding each other tightly. By the girl's expression on her face, he could tell that she felt safe and comfortable in the Master's arms. Obi-Wan's expression was so relaxed. Qui-Gon had never seen the younger Knight so relaxed since he was about the girl's age. Obi-Wan had always been very disciplined in terms of the lifestyle he led; he was always punctual, he would always wake up at a decently early hour, and was generally very organised. Since he had adopted this lifestyle, Qui-Gon had never seen the man so relaxed. The older Jedi smiled. He was going to have to report this to the Council, in order to inform them that they were right when they had predicted that this girl would do Obi-Wan some good.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I slowly opened my eyes the next morning to find Obi-Wan's sleeping face in front of me. I examined this man closely. Not only did he take me in and look after me, but also he did not expect anything in return. He had even promised to me, the night before, that he would protect me against Xanatos. I snuggled closer to him. I had never felt so safe and loved in my entire life. I wondered if he understood what I felt for him and if he realised how much he meant to me. This was exactly why I did not want to put him or any other Jedi in danger. I knew that as long as I was in the Temple, all of its occupants would be at risk. I was going to leave them in order to keep them safe. My heart sunk heavily when I made this realisation. I would most definitely never see Obi-Wan again, but it really was for his own good. I planned my escape for that evening.

The Jedi woke up several minutes later, and I blocked my mind from him in order to plan my next move without him objecting or intervening. He smiled at me gently.

"Good morning, little one," he rasped sleepily as his fingers lightly stroke the side of my face. The way Obi-Wan's loving and caring for me was shown in his eyes, his smile, his touch, made me want to cry like a baby once more, because I knew that I would never meet anyone like him. He must have sensed my unease, for he gently tucked a finger under my chin, and lifted my gaze to his, his bright green eyes gazing into my dark brown ones.

"What's wrong?" He questioned and I simply shook my head and smiled lightly.

"It's just a memory," I answered, trying to make something up, "Don't worry about it." He grinned.

"I can't help worrying about you," He responded, "After what you've been through-" He was interrupted by a chime coming from the door. He groaned lightly and his head slumped onto my shoulder.

"I don't want to get up," He lamented. I rolled my eyes _Men! Why do they have to act like babies??_ A sharp gaze from his direction told me that he had just read my thoughts.

"What?! You are acting like a baby!" I justified the thought, mischief colouring my voice. There was another chime from the door.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming…" Obi-Wan called out to whoever was waiting, even thought they probably couldn't even hear him. As he went to answer the door, I got myself up as well, and tried to make myself look as decent as I could, which was a hard task, given that I hadn't showered in God knows how long. Before opening the door to the newcomer, Obi-Wan took a look at me and sighed in defeat.

"She's going to kill me." He muttered and before I could question him about what he meant exactly, he opened the door. Moments later, Adi Gallia strode in gracefully and greeted Obi-Wan. Although she looked sort of like what I had imagined in the books, I was awed by how elegant and graceful she was. However, her gentle smile was quickly swiped off when she took a look at me.

"Master Kenobi," she spoke sternly, as if she was scolding a five year old child, "How can you let a pretty girl like her walk around in the conditions she is it?" Obi-Wan opened his mouth to answer but the other Jedi preceded him.

"Oh, forget it," She waved off any of his excuses, "You men are all hopeless." The scene in front of me was so comical that I was trying my hardest not to burst out laughing.

"You, girl…it's Melanie, isn't it?" Adi called to me.

"Mel," I corrected.

"Alright, Mel, take these with you and go and have a shower." She instructed to me. After she had shown me how to use the shower, I locked myself into the bathroom and I couldn't help smiling as I heard an argument between the two Knights from the room next door. However, my amusement swiftly turned to sadness as I planned my escape that evening. As I undressed, I check my stomach to see multi coloured bruises cover the entirety of it. I then turned around and saw the various gashed that patterned my back, and I quickly shook away the memories. One thing that did catch my attention, though where two large rashes in the top middle part of my back, which were two straight lines running perpendicular to each other. When I went to touch one of the rashes, I hissed in pain. It stung – no, it burned, and I had no idea as to how I could have gotten them. I shrugged the thought away, the rashes would disappear soon enough, it's probably my body acting strangely to the new environment, or to the stress. As soon as I had had would I could have easily described as the best shower I have ever had, I re-emerged into the room donning a simple tunic and trousers. Obi-Wan then handed me a pair of boots.

"Here, they should fit you," He said. I grinned at the sight of them – it meant that my feet would not longer have to endure any sort of torture when I escaped into the streets of Coruscant.

"Aw, thanks," I accepted them and easily pulled them on, "My feet really needed this." When I looked up, Obi-Wan flashed me one of his smiles, which was wiped off by one of Adi's stern glares. She then stalked up to him, until she stood very close to him.

"If I ever see this girl in an unsatisfactory condition, Obi-Wan Kenobi, I will hang you upside down outside one of the Council Room windows until the day Master Yoda dies!!" I had to bite my lip and even then my body was shaking in order to contain the laugher. The sparkle in Obi-Wan's eyes told me that he was just as amused as I was. Yet, he rolled his eyes at Adi.

"Yes, Master Adi," he said submissively. She smiled gently.

"Good, now if you'll excuse me," She responded to the man's immature reaction before leaving. As soon as the door hissed shut behind her, I burst out laughing, not being able to contain myself any longer. At first, Obi-Wan regarded me with a hard stare.

"What's so funny?" He demanded, but soon after he started laughing as well. By the time my laughter had died out, I was flat on my back on the floor as my legs gave way during my fit of laugher. I looked up at the tall Jedi with an amused grin.

"Oh, you Jedi are funny." I told him whilst my eyes sparkled.

* * *

I woke up in the middle of the night, and quietly slipped out of bed to make my escape. I wanted to go to where Obi-Wan slept, just so I could whisper a short good bye, but I knew that it was too risky: he would have most likely woken up and stopped me. With a defeated sigh, I made my way to the still-open shaft underneath the table and slid into it, and out of the Temple. I swiftly made my way from the expansive building and explored the large city that was Coruscant. I was suddenly very grateful for the clothes that Adi had given me, for they allowed me to blend into the crowd without looking too suspicious.

I casually strolled around, looking at the various buildings, the open restaurants and clubs. I was inclined on entering one of the clubs but the little voice inside my head told me otherwise. _That is no place for a young girl, _it would chide before I could even take one more step towards one of the clubs. It reminded me of my mother, a lot of the time, and I often thought about going in anyway, but then I would remind myself that I had no money to spend and would walk away.

My curiosity took me far, I glanced over my shoulder after walking for quite a while, and there was no sight of the Temple. _The further away I am from them, the better,_ I told myself constantly to avoid changing my mind. I suddenly came across a familiar looking café…and I suddenly realised that I had come face-to-face with Dex's café. I remembered it from the movie and decided to move away quickly. Dex was a good friend of Obi-Wan in the movie, and if he was in real life as well, then I had to get a move on.

"Hey you!" A voice behind me called from the café, but I did not relent, instead quickening my pace. "Stop!" I then immediately broke into a run, and only stopped when I knew that I had lost whoever that was. I couldn't risk finding out, though, I wanted Obi-Wan and everyone else to be safe. Just as that thought crossed my mind, I felt a surge of pain on my left leg, and screamed. I fell to the ground, paralysed. Before I passed out, I saw a woman stand over me and grin slyly.

"Gotcha." She whispered, and I soon slipped into unconsciousness.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 **

I woke up with a soft groan, my hand immediately flying to my pounding head. _What happened? _I wondered as I looked around. _Where am I?_ I then saw a petite woman with long blonde hair; dressed in a traditional doctor's robe, stand in front of me. She smiled at me gently, but the glimmer of greed I saw in her eyes told me that her intentions were anything but good. As soon as my headache lessened, I slowly got to my feet and walked towards her…only to find that a transparent barrier was blocking my way. To my horror, I found that I was trapped in a cylindrical cage with glass-like walls. I stared back at the woman, my eyes narrowing. It was time to show the bad side of Mel Patterson.

"Who are you?" I demanded, "What are doing to me?" She remained quiet and observed me carefully with those avid eyes. Losing my patience, I slammed my fist against the glass wall.

"Answer me!" I screamed at her. She chuckled lightly and slowly made her way towards me.

"Now, now then, my little Whisperer," she chided, "This is not an adequate behaviour for someone wielding so much power." _What the hell is she going on about? What's a Whisperer?_ I wondered, and never took my eyes off her as she slowly circled the cage. _She must have the wrong girl._ As if she had noticed my confusion, she flashed me an enigmatic smile.

"Ah, so the Jedi didn't tell you everything," she commented casually, "But since you'll die anyway, I don't see as to why I should waste my breath." I clenched my fists tightly, hoping that my fear would pass off as anger. I did not want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me afraid. _She could be bluffing, _I hoped.

"When Obi-Wan finds out about this he'll-" I blurted.

"When the Jedi do find you, young Whisperer, you will be already dead." She interrupted. "You are my new subject that I will be utilising for scientific experimentation." I then heard something from above me slam and then there was a clicking noise. I looked up to see that a metallic seal had been placed on top of the cage. I then looked down at my feet, and I saw the floor of the cage being filled up with water. The level of the water rose swiftly. _She's going to drown me!_ I realised in shock, and started to bang my fists against the solid glass wall, and screamed at her. She only stood there and watched.

My agitation resumed and I shook my head whilst looking at the water make its way to my knees. I shut my eyes. _I need you, Obi-Wan!_ I tried to call out to him, but I knew that it probably wouldn't work. Obi-Wan was most likely searching the area around the Temple for me, whilst I was stuck here with some sort of mad scientist, waiting to die. And it was all my fault.

* * *

Mel had gone missing for quite a while now, and it was late in the morning. He had searched the entire Temple grounds, as well as the area surrounding it, but the teenager was nowhere to be found. And Obi-Wan could not stop blaming himself for what had happened. _Why did I let my guard down?_ He scolded himself repeatedly, _I know how much she is sought after, and yet I let my guard down. How could I do such a thing?_

"Stop blaming yourself, Obi-Wan," He heard Qui-Gon's concerned voice come from behind him, "Melanie's escape was not your fault." He turned around to see the older Master and his Apprentice make their way towards him. Obi-Wan sighed.

"If only I'd-" He began.

"A Jedi does not dwell on the 'if only's," Qui-Gon chided, "Come, I think we may have a lead." He made his way in a certain direction, Obi-Wan and Anakin followed.

"Last night, little Ryan decided to take a look at the night sky instead of going to sleep," He explained to his younger friend as they strode, "Before he got caught by one of the Masters, he thinks that he may have seen Melanie escape the Temple, and make her way in this direction." As the trio weaved their way through the bustling crowd of people going about their daily chores, each of the Jedi asked around if anyone had seen a girl of Mel's description. However, they always got a 'no' for an answer.

Obi-Wan sighed in defeat, when they ran into Dex's café, and he saw Qui-Gon's Padawan bite his lip in hunger. The young Knight smiled knowingly, and directed his gaze to the older Master.

"Shall we go inside?" He suggested, "I'll buy you two a drink, and I'm sure that if Mel came through here, Dex would have seen her." Qui-Gon considered this, and Anakin's eyes sparkled with life at the thought of a short break. As promised, Obi-Wan bought drinks for his companions, doing it mainly as a gesture of thanks for their help, before directing his attention to Dex, who had been summoned by the Jedi. Obi-Wan immediately asked him if he had seen Mel. The Besalisk frowned thoughtfully for a moment, when his eyes grew wide with recognition.

"Yes actually, I did see a girl wondering around this area last night," He answered the Jedi, " It was late and I remember thinking that it was odd to see someone so young out on their own. I was tidying up the café when I saw her walk by. At first I thought that she may have been lost, and I immediately rushed outside to call out to her." Obi-Wan frowned at this. He did not know Dex to care about anyone at all. As if sensing the Knight's hesitation, Dex smiled at him sadly.

"I've heard of what happens of the young who are stranded around here late at night," He explained, "I did not want a repeat of it. Anyway, when I called out to her, she didn't even turn around; she only sped up her pace. I figured that she might have run away from home, so I let her run off." The three Jedi nodded wordlessly.

"Was there anyone else here with you who may have seen her as well?" Qui-Gon finally questioned.

"I saw her," A stranger's voice chimed in, and the group looked up to see a youth in his late teens stand by their table, "I'm Max, I help Dexter with the unloading of goods."

"Where did she go?" Obi-Wan's preoccupied voice spoke up.

"Well, after Dex called out to her, and she started speed up her pace, I figured that it would be a good idea to see where she was going, in case anyone came looking for her," Max paused to smile at the Jedi, "And as it turned out, it was a smart thing to do. She didn't go far, when she halted and look around to see if anyone was following, and I don't think that she saw me since I am, modestly, good at keeping watch of people."

"You mean stalking." Qui-Gon interrupted harshly. The boy gave an insecure smile.

"I wouldn't call it stalking; merely observing," Max explained himself, "Anyway, the girl did not know it, but she was not only being observed by me – in other words, she had a bounty hunter on her tail." Obi-Wan's heart skipped a few beats.

"What happened next?" Qui-Gon prompted.

"The bounty hunter must have used a sort of tranquiliser on her, for she shot the girl's knee," Max finished off, "I saw it take her away then."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe it would have been a good idea to report what you saw?!" Obi-Wan growled at the boy menacingly, his hands clenched into fists. Max gulped and took a few steps back, and Qui-Gon's hand immediately lashed out and gripped Obi-Wan's shoulder firmly. _Calm yourself right down, Obi-Wan Kenobi._ The younger Knight heard his friend's voice in his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and let himself really feel the anger, and then let it go. Obi-Wan re-opened his eyes and looked and a panic-stricken boy.

"Can you recall what this bounty hunter looked like?" The Jedi asked Max calmly. The boy paused before giving a description of the bounty hunter. The two Jedi Masters looked at each other knowingly. They now knew exactly where the girl was. _I need you, Obi-Wan!_ The younger Knight heard the sudden frightened cry in his mind clearly, and he immediately rose to his feet. Qui-Gon and Anakin dragged their gazes to Obi-Wan's face in confusion.

"We haven't much time," Obi-Wan replied to their looks and almost immediately he was heading towards where he knew the girl was. When the two other Jedi swiftly caught up with him, Qui-Gon stopped his younger friend.

"Where exactly are you going?" He demanded.

"To find Mel," The other Knight replied, "I need transport to get me there." Qui-Gon nodded.

"Fine, but we're going to get backup," He informed, "you're going to need it."

"Just hurry up," Obi-Wan replied quickly before rushing off.

_What was that all about? _Qui-Gon's voice rang in his head _What's making you so worried? _

_They have her, Qui-Gon, and she's in pain, _Obi-Wan thought back _I need to get to her quickly. I sense it. _

_Still, I think you're over-reacting. _The older man's voice came to his mind.

_Qui-Gon, _Obi-Wan responded urgently, _They have __my__ Melanie. _


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 **

I tired not to panic as I helplessly watch the water level rise to my shoulders. _Hold on, Patterson…Obi-Wan will come along anytime now…you've been missing for hours._ I kept praying that the Jedi would find me soon, and I was careful to disguise my despair. I repeatedly slammed my fists against the glass panels of my cage and screamed every combination of swear words at the woman standing there, watching me die. As a response, she merely indicated that she couldn't hear what I was saying and smiled.

Suddenly, an army of Storm Troopers invaded the area, wiping off the possessive grin on the woman's face. Two of the Troopers held the woman down and handcuffed her, whilst a third pointed a gun at her back. By now the tank had almost filled up, and I could only take a few more breaths before I was completely surrounded by water. My heart sang when I saw Obi-Wan stride into the room hurriedly. I banged my open palms against the glass and tried to call out to him with my mind. _Obi-Wan! Help!!_ His gaze snapped to where I was and the blood in his face seemed to have drained. _Quick! I'm. Running. Out. Of. Air._ He came rushing to me, his palms open and pressing firmly against the glass, where my palms where. He started calling out to me but I couldn't hear what he was saying, and began to feel light-headed. He started to bang his hands against the glass, and I was starting to pass out. Then, there was a hiss, and the lid above my head came off, but I was too weak to swim out of the water. I felt two strong arms scoop me up and out of the water.

"Mel, Mel," I heard Obi-Wan's broken voice call to me, "Wake up, little one." I slowly forced my eyes open to look up at him. I was cradled tightly against him, my head nestled in the bends of his elbow.

"Obi-Wan?" My voice was weak, "Obi-Wan, I'm sorry…I-I…"

"Ssh, it's alright," He whispered, "You're safe now and that's all that matters." My hands managed to find their way around his neck, and I instinctively pulled myself closer to him. I bit my lip hard to keep myself from bursting in tears. The Jedi rose to leave, with me still in his arms.

"I was doing you Jedi a favour," The captured woman screeched, "That girl is dangerous! You don't know what you're dealing with!!"

"No, Zan Arbor," The Knight replied harshly, "You do not know who you are dealing with." There was a small pause.

"Commander," he instructed one of the Clones, "Take that woman away." The scientist hollered in protest, and I tensed in Obi-Wan's arms when I realised that I had been the captive of perhaps one of the most dangerous scientists in the galaxy. The Jedi wordlessly took me into one of the Storm Trooper ships and gingerly placed me on one of the crates before leaving to speak to Qui-Gon, who had been waiting in the ship. Anakin quickly approached me and threw a blanket over my shoulders.

"Hi," he greeted me with a wide grin.

"Hey," I responded with a weaker smile.

"I guess we managed to find you after all," He commented, whilst still smiling.

"Yeah, I guess," I murmured back. He seemed to have noticed my unhappiness.

"What's wrong?" He questioned gently, whilst coming closer towards me. I looked up at him and then directed my gaze to where Obi-Wan was.

"He hates me," I muttered, struggling to keep control of my voice. Anakin laughed lightly.

"Why would he hate you?" He asked playfully.

"I broke a promise, Anakin," I began to speak quickly, "I promised that I would not run away again, and-"

"You didn't promise anything," The boy interrupted, "He doesn't hate you. He's just a bit irritated that you decided to wonder off on your own. He'll get over it." I smiled weakly, knowing that he didn't know what it was that he was talking about.

"I really hope so," I responded.

* * *

Once I found myself again in Obi-Wan's room, I sat on my bed and waited as Qui-Gon and his apprentice exited the room. Once the door hissed shut, the Jedi let out a long, frustrated sigh. I had already lived this scene, except the one in Obi-Wan's position was usually my dad.

"Can you please explain to me what it was that you were thinking?" the man's voice came strictly.

"It isn't what it looks like-" I quietly whimpered.

"You put your own life at risk!" he roared.

"I-I didn't mean to-" I muttered fearfully.

"You could have been killed!" he raised his voice even further.

"I didn't know!" I screamed back at him, the tears beginning to rise, "How am I supposed to know what I have to look out for if you keep hiding things from me?!"

"You wouldn't have to look out for anything if you would just stop running away!" He hollered back at me.

"Fine! I'll stop! Just tell me who the hell I am, for Christ's sake!" I cried out, "What the heck is a Whisperer, Obi-Wan?" The Knight looked at me like I'd just slapped him. He stood there, wordlessly watching me.

"Are you going to answer this question?" I demanded, "Or am I just going to be forced to live my life without knowing who I freaking am?!"

"Mel, where did you-" His voice was suddenly calm.

"Why does it matter?" I screamed at him, "Stop hiding things from me!"

"We were keeping this from you for your own safety." He began softly.

"Well you didn't do a very good job at it did you?!" I yelled once more.

"We only want to protect you," Obi-Wan's voice was gentle, and he was now trying to embrace me, but I fiercely pulled away from him.

"Shut up, dad, you horrible bastard!!" I hollered without thinking, and when my brain actually processed what I had said and registered Obi-Wan's shocked expression, I dashed into the bathroom and locked the door before bursting into sobs. After a short while, I heard Obi-Wan knock at the door gently.

"Mel?" His voice questioned gingerly, "Mel, can I come in?"

"No," I answered with a weak voice.

"I just want to help you." He coaxed.

"Why would you, after what I said?" I demanded softly.

"Don't worry about it," He dismissed, "I need to know you're OK." I considered this for a while. I did really want to snuggle up against him and cry like a baby, but another part of me wanted to make my point clear. In other words, whilst my mind told me to tell him to go away, I still stood up and unlocked the door. I ran into Obi-Wan's arms with so much force, that he stumbled backwards, and fell against the wall with me still in his arms. He chuckled with amusement.

"Easy, little one," He muttered gently, "I'm glad to see that you're willing to talk to me." I smiled weakly before bursting into tears.

"I'm. So. Sorry." I managed to say between sobs, "I didn't mean what I said."

"Ssh, it's OK," He whispered, "You're safe. You're at home here." I nodded, knowing that he was right. I was at home. I was in the safest place in the galaxy. I was in Obi-Wan's arms. My back suddenly stung. I wiggled a little, thinking it was nothing, but the pain intensified. The Knight looked down at me with concern.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, "Are you hurt?"

"No…it's just that…" I tried to explain, but the pain intensified quickly, making me want to scream. The Jedi gently pressed a hand against my back, and suddenly his eyes grew wide with alarm and knowledge. Using the Force, he grabbed his comlink.

"Qui-Gon?" He quickly spoke into it whilst still holding me against him. "It's time."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 **

I trashed against Obi-Wan and screamed endlessly in pain, with tears streaking down my cheeks. The pain was unbelievable: it felt as though my insides were trying to jump out of my skin. Correction – it was as though my insides were trying to tear my skin apart. I desperately looked up at Obi-Wan's concerned face.

"Please make it stop!" I cried to him, and all he could do was just try to hold me still against him.

"Ssh, it's OK." He whispered brokenly, "It will all be over soon."

"No-" I wanted to object, but screamed from the pain instead. At some point, Qui-Gon had come rushing in, a group of doctors and a stretcher following. A woman dressed in a doctor's robe, rushed to where Obi-Wan and I were sitting, and try to snatch me away. I hollered in protest, and firmly gripped at the Jedi's robes to prevent from being taken away, but he gently pried my hands off him.

"No! Please!" I begged through screams and tears, as I was taken to the stretcher and forced to lie down on it.

"Obi-Wan, don't leave me!" I called out before I was taken away on the stretcher. As I was taken into a large isolated ward, I kept screaming and my head thrashed from side to side. The pain was ten times worse than when Xanatos had given me those lashes, all those days ago.

A large male doctor then grabbed me roughly and sat me down on a cold, metal table. I kept trying to escape so I could run back into the safety of Obi-Wan's arms, but all the hands coming from various doctors, prevented me from doing so. Whilst some of these people examined me, others had succeeded to remove my shirt and pull onto me another shirt that covered my chest, but left my back exposed. I did not like this one bit. Suddenly, Obi-Wan appeared into my line of sight, and before I could say anything, he captured me in his arms. I relaxed slightly, as he held my trembling form tightly, one arm wrapped firmly around my waist, and the other holding my shoulders against him.

"Obi-Wan? What's happening to me?" I managed to whimper whilst trying to look up at him. As a response, his face came down to level mine, and pressed his right cheek against my right cheek.

"Ssh, it's OK," He repeated, "It will be over soon." He then gently put his chin on top of my head in a protective gesture. I had noticed that he had his eyes closed, and figured that he was probably using the Force to help lessen the pain, which had decreased but I was still in agony.

"Master Kenobi?" A voice came behind me, "Are you coming? The Metamorphosis is about to begin and-"

"I'm not going anywhere," Obi-Wan responded strictly, "The girl needs me here."

"But-" the voice tried to object.

"I told you that I'm not leaving!" The Knight barked, "I have made my decision. Now go!" I heard footsteps fade away and a door hiss shut. Obi-Wan leaned down and placed a faint kiss on my forehead.

"Don't be frightened, little one," He reassured, "This will all end soon." I nodded quietly against him. And with a final long, loud scream, my skin tore open and I sagged into the Jedi's arms before falling unconscious.

* * *

_Harsh light. People shouting. Warm hand._ I started to try to reconstruct my surroundings with all of my senses except for my sight, since the lights seemed harsh and intrusive to me. I figured that I was lying on my side, and that my back ached dully, yet it somehow felt heavier in a strange way.

There were people chatting quietly somewhere, but it seemed to me as though they were shouting to my overly sensitive ears. However, the warm hand that was gently stroking my cheek was not unpleasant. On the contrary, it chased away a lot of the pain in my head. That hand suddenly stopped, and I whimpered slightly in protest.

"Ssh, it's all over now, little one." I recognised Obi-Wan's voice coming softly, "You need to get some rest." His hand placed itself over my eyes, blocking out the harsh light, and that was all I needed to fall back into a deep slumber.

* * *

The next time I woke up, the lights were dim and no one was around. I slowly stretched my arms out, and was so glad to find that neither my back nor my head were in pain. With a soft sigh, I settled myself into the warm and comfortable bed, bringing the covers up to my nose. I sneezed when something tickled my nose, and looked down to see a white feathery mass lying on top of me. I frowned. _What the…?_ I slowly sat up and yelped when the mass smoothly followed my movement. One of my hands snaked around my bare back to confirm my suspicions and I gasped audibly. I had grown wings. I then heard a loud chuckle coming from behind one of the curtains that sheltered my bed.

"I see that you have finally woken up," Obi-Wan's amused voice commented. Moments later, he stepped into the small "room" with a large grin. However, as soon as he saw me, his smile was wiped off and his cheeks began to redden slightly. He shut his eyes and clasped a hand in front of them.

"I'd cover myself if I where you." He managed to mutter, his skin flushing even more. Confused, I looked down at myself and with a startled cry I found out that my chest was totally and utterly bare!! My wings swiftly wrapped themselves around my torso, before I could do anything, and I blushed.

"Can I open my eyes now?" He asked wearily, his skin was now red.

"Yes," I managed to say. I was just as embarrassed as he was, and I buried my flushed face into my wings. He smiled lightly at this.

"I see that you have acquainted yourself with your new friends." He commented, whilst coming forth to gently stoke at the top of my left wing, "They are truly beautiful." He regarded me with a sad smile, and I now knew that what we were going to talk about was serious.

"Obi-Wan?" I probed gently "Is there something I should know?" He gave a small grin.

"Yes, a few things you should know, actually," He murmured. "And I think that I owe you an apology for not being completely honest with you." I smiled lightly.

"It's alright, you were doing it for a good reason." I accepted his apology. He then pulled a chair from outside and set it next to my bed.

"I think it's time that you and I had a little chat," He began as he made himself comfortable on the chair, before he revealed to me all that I had to know.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

After a few long moments of silence, Obi-Wan released a sigh of defeat. I knew what that sigh meant: he didn't have a clue as to where he should start. He regarded me with an insecure gaze.

"Where would you like me to begin?" He asked. I thought about this for a second.

"Let's start by what I know," I suggested, "Tell me what a Whisperer is."

"Where did you hear that term?" He answered with a question.

"It's what Zan Arbor called me," I responded swiftly, "Tell me what it is!" I was becoming impatient to know what I was.

"Can you tell me what I am?" I asked in a more controlled manner, after seeing that Obi-Wan did not agree with my lack of patience, "Please?" He smiled gently.

"That's better," He praised lightly, "A Whisperer is…well…sort of like a Force-sensitive being, but not exactly."

"What do you mean?" I questioned in confusion.

"A Whisperer, like any other Force-sensitive being, withholds the Force within him or herself." He explained calmly, "However, a Whisperer cannot control the Force by, say, moving objects or having visions. Unlike in a Force-sensitive being, the Force is hidden within a Whisperer."

"Hidden?" I asked.

"Yes, a Whisperer cannot control the Force, and the Force cannot be detected within him or her like in a Force-sensitive being." The Knight paused. "For example, we know that someone is Force-sensitive because we can sense the Force surround that person, however in your case, the Force surrounds you silently, in a manner that is difficult to pick up. Only Masters that are extremely strong in the Force are able to pick up on it."

"Like Master Yoda." I murmured in understanding.

"Like Master Yoda, yes." The Jedi went on, "Incidentally, the name 'Whisperer' refers to your connection to the Force: it flows around you silently, in whispers."

"What's this got to do with the wings?" I questioned further. Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, choosing his next words carefully.

"At some point in the life of a Whisperer, he or she will undergo a stage of Metamorphosis, and will morph into either a Demon or an Angel," He paused and smiled, "Thankfully, you turned into an Angel."

"You must know that Whisperers are extremely rare. In the past two thousand years, there have only been five Whisperers, including you. And Angels are even rarer than that: out of the five of you Whisperers, only you and one other have morphed into Angels." Obi-Wan regarded my face carefully, "The last Angel died two thousand years ago in his mission."

"What mission?" I asked.

"The only mission in the life of an Angel: to destroy the Demons. Mind you, the only mission in the life of a Demon is to kill the Angels. So you can see the kind of situation you are in." Obi-Wan explained gravely.

"Are there any Demons alive now?" I questioned, though I didn't really want to hear the answer.

"Yes," the Knight confirmed my fears, "He was the fourth Whisperer. We had found him and brought him to the Temple, thinking that maybe that if he was surrounded by those strong in the Light side of the Force, he would become an Angel. But that was not how things turned out: he couldn't withstand the Jedi, hence he escaped to where he felt most comfortable: with the Sith Lords. He then killed the older Demon."

"Why did he do that?" I asked.

"Their instinct, I think," Obi-Wan shrugged, "Demons are solemnly driven by anger and hate, like the Sith."

"Whereas I'm probably driven by love." I murmured, "And what determines if a Whisperer is to become an Angel or a Demon?"

"Like I said, we thought that it was because of the sort of environment they lived in," He explained, "But then we found out that it was not so." I snorted.

"It wouldn't have been my case either." I muttered, and looked away as my mind was pulled back at the memories of my own unhappy life where everyone, including my own parents, hated me. I found it hard to believe that I had grown up surrounded by love at all. Obi-Wan cupped my chin with one hand and lifted my gaze.

"Your parents don't hate you," He whispered gently, "They love you more than anything." I pulled my face from his grip.

"That isn't true," I murmured as I shook my head in denial and bit back bitter tears, "It isn't true."

"Oh, little one," Obi-Wan murmured as he pulled me close to him in a comforting embrace. After a short while I pulled away from him and looked up at his face.

"How do you know that they don't hate me?" My voice quivered, "You didn't get to spend your whole life with them!"

"Ssh, ssh, no, young one, don't say that," He quietened me down, "There is something that I have wanted to show you long ago, and now is the time for you to see it."

"What are you talking about?" I managed to whimper through my clenched throat.

"All in good time, little one," He reassured, "Now, you will need to get dressed and I will have to go and check with the medics that you are well enough to leave." He pulled away from the embrace and went to retrieve a light brown shirt. He tossed it to me.

"Put this on," He instructed, "It has slits on the back so your wings can fit through. I will just go and speak to the medics. I won't be long." True to his word, Obi-Wan returned moments later with a doctor by his side. I suddenly recognised the large man who had grabbed me roughly and sat me down on a metal table before I morphed into an Angel. My first instinct was to try and escape the man, but since I knew this would do no good, I simply bit my lip and sat still as a statue as the doctor did some routine checks on me.

"I believe that she is well enough to be released into your care." He spoke to the Jedi after he had finished. Obi-Wan nodded slowly, eyeing me.

"If any of the council members come for her, tell them…" He paused to think for a while, his gaze still planted on my form, "Tell them that she's with me. And that she will be taking a break for the day. I think I've already filled her mind up with enough information." He grinned when I nodded frantically. At that stage, my brain was still slowly absorbing what I had learned in such little time. He offered me a hand to slide off the bed, and was beginning to draw me out of the room. I suddenly stopped him to slip my boots on.

"These are handy," I then said to him whilst waving a leg at him to indicate the boot. Obi-Wan chuckled lightly and led me out of the hospital ward. As we made our way through the Temple, I couldn't help but notice the curious looks and stares I got from everyone we passed. I kept hearing swift whispers as we passed a group of people here and there. _This is just the beginning._ I recognised the little voice inside my head, and I was shocked to find that it was as though someone else was talking to me…the little voice did not echo my thoughts like I thought it had. I was frightened and confused…I wanted to understand what was going on. I then heard a soft chuckle come from the little voice. _All in good time, my dear girl. For now, just enjoy your day of rest._


	14. Chapter 13

**_To the reader: sorry for the extremely long wait, but things have been hectic in this past month...and it doesn't look like it will get any better anytime soon so pleeeease bear with me!! Thanks to all who review and I apologise for not answering, but like I said; I don't have as much time as I would like...but I'll try my hardest to reply to all who review from now on. Thanks, guys!_**

**_breakaway07_**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"I never knew our daughter was so gifted."

"If she had to live a double life, it's because of us."

"I've now come to realise that I truly do not know my own daughter."

"What would you say to her if you could see her right now?" "Melanie, I'm so very proud of you."

Obi-Wan had sat me down on his bed and made me watch an interview of my parents where they spoke about the films that were shot during my double life. Films of me surfing and snowboarding and generally hanging out with my friends, which – I must now point out – are all boys. What a big shock for my traditionalist parents. _Like I actually give a damn as to what they think._ I was in tears and I was furious. _Who gave them permission to watch those tapes?! Who, damnit, who?! They're effing private!!_ Part of me didn't want to believe what was coming out of their mouths – I figured that they were probably lying for the camera. But another part of me wanted to believe that they were telling the truth, that they were proud of me and that they did feel guilty. When the transmission ended, I looked up at Obi-Wan, who had been pacing and watching the expressions on my face at the same time. He stopped and regarded with tear-streaked face with cautious eyes.

"Well?" He asked after a little while. I shrugged, despite the tears.

"They could be lying," I croaked uneasily. He sat next to me and took away the hologram after turning it off. He gently traced the side of my face with the back of his fingers.

"What does your heart tell you?" His voice is barely above a whisper. I closed my eyes for a short while.

"That they tell the truth." I replied after a while, and opened my eyes to stare into his face. He gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Then it is so, isn't it?" He whispered gently.

"Oh, Obi-Wan!" I cried and threw my arms around him before bursting into loud sobs. He leaned back easily and held me against him in a comforting embrace.

"Ssh, it's alright," He murmured against my forehead, "I'm right here, little one." And with that, we both fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"No, I'm sorry Qui-Gon, but they will have to wait," I could hear as much as feel Obi-Wan say, "Even if it is the council that wants to see her. She is still sleeping." I heard a light chuckle from behind me.

"Force, Obi-Wan, you are so protective of her," Qui-Gon's voice spoke up from behind my back, "she isn't your apprentice. Or your daughter, for that matter." I felt the Jedi beneath me suck in a shaky breath.

"I know that," He retorted, "But do you notice the way she acts around me? She keeps seeking protection around me…she-"

"She feels safe around you," The older Knight interrupted, "That is not a bad thing, Obi-Wan. I just don't think that being overly protective will do her any good."

"I'm not overly protective," Obi-Wan snapped. There was a soft chuckle.

"Sure you're not," Qui-Gon replied sarcastically, "Anyway, the council asked to see you as well."

"Does it look like I can go and see them anytime soon?" The young Jedi asked with an ironic voice. I heard laughter, and when I slowly opened my eyes, I saw what they meant. Sometime during the night, my wings must have wrapped themselves around the two of us, and this prevented Obi-Wan from moving at all. I moaned sleepily and my hand ran down Obi-Wan's chest slowly, giving him an indication that I was coming to my senses and supposedly waking up. I turned around, my wings loosening their grip on Obi-Wan as I did so, and blinked slowly as I looked first at Qui-Gon, and then directed my gaze upward to search Obi-Wan's face.

"Good morning, little one," He greeted me with a large grin, and I smiled up at him.

"I see that now you can ready yourself for a meeting with the council," Qui-Gon paused, "Make sure you both look decent enough." He then left the two of us alone.

"Right," Obi-Wan grunted from under me, "Shower time. You first." He easily slid me off him and rose from the bed. I looked up at him in confusion, as I was still coming to my senses. Did I mention that I sometimes have a hard time waking up?

"Up you get," the Jedi instructed as he picked me up and put me on my feet. He then prodded me towards the shower, "Shower quickly, we haven't much time." He then shoved into my arms a towel, along with a fresh set of clothes and a pair of boots.

"Bossy," I muttered, still half asleep, before he shut the door. With a sigh, I locked the door and showered swiftly. When I was done, I inspected the clothes that had been given to me and then realised that the shirt didn't have any slits for my wings. I initially panicked to a small extent, not knowing what to do. _I knew that I should call for Obi-Wan but still…_I shut my eyes and I imagined my wings disappearing temporarily in some way, so that this problem would not have to present itself. When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see that indeed my wings were not longer there. I quickly summoned them back and watched in amazement as they emerged from my back, as though they had moulded themselves against my back to hide. I hid them once more and observed in awe as they lay flat against my back and took on the shape of it. No one would have ever guessed that I had wings when they were hidden. _Very impressive._ I thought to myself. _I know, hey._ The little voice returned, making me jump in surprise. _I must admit; we Angels are rather impressive._ I froze in the middle of pulling on my shirt. _Hang on a second, what do you mean by 'we'. Who the heck are you?_ I demanded. A light chuckle echoed in the back of my mind. _You are one hopeless little girl._ It muttered in amusement. _My name is Amshel. I am the last Angel._ I gasped audibly. _You mean the one that died like two thousand years ago?_ There was a small pause. _Two thousand ten hundred,_ the voice – I mean, Amshel corrected, _that Jedi doesn't know his arithmetic._ As if on cue, I heard an energetic knock on the door.

"Mel? Are you going to be long?" Obi-Wan's voice called, "We need to get moving!"

"Coming, Master!" I responded. _Hang on a sec._ I told the Angel. _I'm not going anywhere._ He answered. _Take all the time you need._ I quickly pulled my boots on and opened the door.

"What took you so long?" The Jedi inquired.

"I was-" I tried to explain myself, yet he silenced me with a dismissive gesture.

"Never mind. Your morning meal is ready." He spoke hurriedly, "Make sure that you are ready to go by the time I'm done." And with that, he shut the door. I made my way to the table and started to chew on the pieces of fruit slowly. _So how is it that you came to be in my head?_ I asked Amshel, hoping that he would reply. _How else are you supposed to learn about your powers?_ He retorted, _I was with you the moment you were born. You may have not noticed it but I've always been here to guide you._ I popped another piece of fruit into my mouth. _I see._ I replied emptily. _You might want to hurry up,_ Amshel advised, _the Jedi is just about ready to go._ I sighed and finished eating whilst still absorbing the information I had been given. I was wiping off my face with my sleeve, when a neat looking Obi-Wan rushed out of the bathroom. He eyed me whilst adjusting his cloak.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Ready," I answered and made my way towards him.

"Right, lets g-" His voice stopped at mid-sentence, "What happened to your wings?"

"Oh," I threw a glance behind my back, "I'm hiding them. It's quite interesting, actually-"

"Come on, we don't have much time," He interrupted briskly, "You'll explain it to me later."


	15. Chapter 14

**_HI GUYS! It's been a while (naah...3 years and 3 months isn't that long at all) but I've decided to continue writing my stories. So without further ado, i give you...CHAPTER 14! (I personally think my writing is a bit sloppy, but never mind...) ENJOY! _**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Xanatos surveyed the lights of passing traffic against the black backdrop that was Courscant's night sky. He turned his attention to the tall, dominant building that towered ahead. He smiled to himself. Although the Jedi temple was so big and intimidating, it had an almost peaceful aura to it.

_If the Jedi think that the girl is safe here, _Xanatos mused _they are so very wrong._ He chuckled lightly as he recalled her frightened face. He loved the feeling of power he had over that young, helpless girl, and how he was able to evoke so much fear from her. His thoughts were interrupted by an expected visitor.

"You summoned me, Lord Xanatos?" the deep voice questioned behind him. He turned slowly to face the newcomer.

"Yes," he replied "I have work for you to do. Do it well, and you will be rewarded handsomely."

"What would you have me do?" the being asked, slowly stepping forwards so that he stood side-by-side with Xanatos.

"The Jedi have stolen something that belongs to me," the Sith lord spat as he turned to face the Jedi temple "I want you to recover the property in question."

"What kind of property do you speak of?" the being asked, whilst leaning against the large glass window.

"A girl." Xanatos retorted and the being snickered at him. The Sith lord turned towards him and looked up into the being's bright green eyes. "Bring her back to me unharmed, and you will have your rewad."

"As you wish, my lord," and with that, the tall being was gone. Xanatos turned his attention once more to the temple. He closed his eyes, and pictured her young sleeping face.

_Soon, girl, you will be mine._

* * *

I jolted awake in the middle of the night, with fear in my heart. I had heard his voice in my head. _Soon, girl, you will be mine._ That unmistakable voice promised. _Yeah, right, _I thought back, even though I still had my heart my my throat. I tried to relax, reassuring myself that I was surrounded my Jedi, and that no-one could even dream of getting close to me.

I stood slowly and went towards the large window that overlooked Coruscant, where I had the feeling that I was being observed.

_He's watching you, _Amshel's voice rang inside my head. _Who is?_ I asked, although I knew I didn't want to hear the answer. _Xanatos,_ the angel replied, with a matter-of-fact tone _he can see you._ I shook my head violently, as if I could shake away that piercing gaze on me.

"No," I whispered brokenly "It can't be." I was terrified, and felt helpless at the same time. _Where is he? Why can't I see him? He can't possibly get close to me...not here! Right?_ I hoped Amshel would have a way to reassure me, to say that everything would be alright, but my mind was quiet.

Tears pricked my eyes as I recalled what that man was capable of doing to me, when I was in his grasp. I longed for Obi-Wan's strong, safe embrace. I wanted to bury myself in his arms and feel safe and reassured.

Suddenly, two strong arms wrapped themselves around me. I screamed and tried to break free, afraid that Xanatos was back to kidnap me again.

"Sssh, little one," a familiar, sleepy voice boomed in my hear "what's wrong?" I turned to face Obi-Wan and burst into tears in his arms. I was to tense and scared, I couldn't hold them back any longer.

"What is it?" the Jedi repeated, his voice full of concern. I buried myslef tightly into his embrace.

"He's watching me," I managed to choke out.

"He?" Obi-Wan repeated, his voice full of confusion. I couldn't bring myself to saying Xanatos's name out loud, but after glancing into Obi-Wan's eyes, he understood.

"Oh, little one," he breathed as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. He then gently picked me up and carried me back to his bed. He placed me gingerly down and laid down next to me, his arms crushing me to his broad chest.

"Ssh, sleep young one," he murmured quietly into my ear, "It was just a bad dream."


	16. Chapter 15

_**The story goes on! I don't know if I'll be able to update every day...but I'll try my best! At the very least, I should be able to update once or twice every week. Cheerio, folks!**_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

I sighed as I stared at the sleeping man next to me. I envied how he could fall asleep so quickly..._if only I didn't have so many thoughts on my mind_...my thoughts returned to the meeting with the Jedi council from the previous day. I had spoken for many long hours, from explaining my actions that had taken me become captive of Jenna Zan Harbour to what I knew about the Star Wars universe, to the little voice inside my head – Ashmel – and what I knew about being an angel. By the end of it, I was exhausted, however the Masters listened intently, wanting to know more about pretty much anything. I was then asked by the council to step outside so that the Masters could talk to Obi-Wan (who also listened to the whole thing patiently) in private. _I wonder why they wanted to speak to him in private...am I not worthy of anyone's trust? _After a few minutes, Obi-Wan emerged from the chamber with a strange expression...I couldn't tell if he was upset or angry or just sad. I bugged him about it for the whole day, but that only resulted in him snapping at me to be quiet. He later apologised, but he still kept quiet about his private meeting with the council.

"Little one," a sleepy voice murmured in my ear, "Stop thinking about it and get some rest."

"I can't, Master." I replied, still staring at his relaxed face. He opened one eye and surveyed me.

"I just can't get any sleep." I explained, shrugging my shoulders. It was true – not only was I worried about what the council might have said about me to Obi-Wan in private, but I was also concerned about Xanatos...or any other Sith Lord that was on the loose.

"Come closer," his deep voice commanded, and I complied, levelling my face with his. He gently placed his forehead against mine and I immediately felt surrounded by a peaceful feeling that enveloped me like a bubble. It was as though all my thoughts and worries had been blocked away from me and I was left with a pleasant, warm feeling in my heart. The only thing that I could hear or feel was the rhythmic breathing of the man sleeping next to me. Involuntarily, my wings dispatched themselves from my back and wrapped themselves around the two of us. With that, I fell deeply asleep.

* * *

"Hit me!" Obi-Wan commanded, lightly punching him chest. I just looked at him in disbelief. _What is it that he wants me to do?_ He pounced gracefully, landing only a few centimetres away from me.

"I said: hit me," he growled lowly, "come on."

"Are you mad?" I replied, shocked that he might ask me something like that, "I would like to remind you that I nearly killed a man the last time I did that." Obi-Wan chuckled lowly.

"Very well," he taunted as he drew back slightly, "then I'll hit you." And so, our first sparring session began. He lunged at me, with his fists ready to strike. I dodged him and pushed his arms away, blocking his attack. He then moved to kick my stomach, but I defended myself easily, making him lose his balance momentarily. As he kept trying to attack me, I constantly dodged his blows in order to protect myself, but I refused to attack him. He suddenly stopped and waited.

"Your turn now," he prompted "attack me!"

"No," I responded defiantly. _I don't care if this is "for my own good" or if I have to learn to defend myself...I am __**not **__going to attack anyone...ever!_

_Think again,_ I heard Obi-Wan's voice boom in my head _what if – as you said – Xanatos was really coming back for you? What about the other Sith lords? You need to learn to defend yourself! You can't just hide in my embrace every time something bad happens!_ I took a couple of steps back when I heard those words, which stung worse than anything that had ever been said to me. I looked up at his face, and saw that he regretted saying what he had just said.

_Even if it hurts to hear you say these words, you're right! I need to learn to defend myself._ I lunged at Obi-Wan before finishing that thought. I fought him as best as I could, my instincts guiding my movements. I had no clue as to what I was doing, but it seemed to be effective, seeing that Obi-Wan was struggling to keep in time and block my blows. Suddenly, I somehow managed to put him off balance and knock him over, making him fall hard on his back.

"Yessss," I cried in excitement, "Patterson 1, Kenobi 0...WOHOO!" Obi-Wan sat up and regarded me with a cocked eyebrow. With a single gesture, he knocked me off my feet and an invisible hand grabbed my ankles, lifting me so that I faced the Jedi master upside down. I couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous the situation was turning out to be. Obi-Wan stood and came up to my upside down face.

"How many times must I tell you to respect your elders, little one?" he chided playfully.

"At least once more, master," I giggled. He released his grip on me and set me gently down.

"Very well, then," he nodded "I think that will do for our first sparring session. Go back to our quarters and have a shower. I will join you shortly."

"Yes, master," I responded curtly, before running off.


	17. Chapter 16

**_I just love getting off work early just so I can get back to writing my story (and yes, people, before you ask - I HAVE NO LIFE! :P)...it's actually turning out to be a lot longer than what I had previously imagined! Anywhoo, here's the next chapter...ENJOY!_**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Qui-Gon stood patiently as he listened to his young friend recount what had happened in the sparring room with Melanie. The more Obi-Wan told him about the girl's fighting abilities, the more impressed he became. _And I haven't even seen her in action!_ Qui-Gon was stunned.

"I think you're exaggerating," he interrupted his friend for the first time.

"No, I'm not," Obi-Wan defended himself "I wasn't even able to weaken her with the use of the Force. It's as if whilst she was in battle, she wasn't affected by the Force."

"Of course she isn't affected by your attempts," Qui-Gon rolled his eyes, as if he were repeating the same thing for the millionth time, "she _is_ the Force. She is able to control it any way she pleases!" Obi-Wan grinned widely.

"So our little Mel isn't so helpless after all," the younger Jedi murmured cheerfully.

"On the contrary," his older friend added, "She could become a powerful ally if we show her how to fight and control the powers that she possesses."

Suddenly, Obi-Wan gave the older Jedi a look...**that** mischievous look he gives when he's about to do something he isn't supposed to do or when he gets one of his "great ideas". He grinned widely.

"Qui-Gon!" He cried excitedly "I'm going to teach Mel how to fly!" And before the older Jedi could reply, he rushed off to his quarters.

* * *

I re-emerged from the bathroom after a long, warm shower. I loved the cool feeling I got after such a big work out, even though I didn't feel all that tired. _I wonder how longer we were in that sparring room._ I hummed as I got dressed and wondered what we were going to have for lunch. _I hope it isn't fruit again_. I was beginning to crave vegetables, meat, wheat and just about anything that didn't have anything to do with that fruit that I had been fed all this time.

All of the sudden, the door opened and Obi-Wan rushed in, gasping for air.

"Out of breath already?" I grinned, amused at this. He looked at me and narrowed his eyes. He then grabbed my wrist and roughly began to lead me out of his quarters.

"Come on, little one," He directed, "Your training isn't over yet."  
"B-but, master," I stammered, "Why? What about lunch?" As if to prove my point, my stomach growled louly, hungrily demanding food. Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks and grinned at me.

"Alright," he complied "But we won't stop for long. We still have a lot of training to do."

He released my arm and got out his comm. link so that he could order our lunch.

"Master?" I asked in a small voice.

"Yes, little one?" He beckoned urgently.

"Can...is it possible for me to have...something else for lunch?" I requested, "I'm quite hungry."

"Very well, then," he nodded with a big smile on his face, "after all, you have a long afternoon of training ahead of you."

* * *

"Don't think! Feel!" Obi-Wan hollerd at me, "Use your instincts!" _Yeah, right...easy for you to say!_ I gulped as I looked down at where he was standing. I was on top of a 20-metre tall wall, and I was somehow supposed to learn to fly. _This isn't going to happen...not in a million years! This is crazy!_ I shook my head in disbelief. I just knew I couldn't do it. _If you believe that you won't fly, then it isn't going to happen. _Amshel's voice **finally** decided to show up. _What took you so long? How the heck am I supposed to do this?_ I chided the older and supposedly much wiser angel. _Listen to that Jedi, _he answered back _he's been telling you how to do it for hours._ I frowned deeply. _What? "Use your instincts"? _I scoffed mentally _It still sounds like a long shot to me. _I heard Amshel sigh in frustration.

_Look, it's very __**very**__ simple,_ he stated matter-of-factly _either you accept the fact that you're an angel and that you have two strong wings that will allow you to fly, or your can just keep believing that you're a pitiful nobody that no-one cares about, and that's going to to plummet to her death just like that._ I gritted my teeth in anger. _So, _he concluded coolly, _what's it going to be?_

"I am not a nobody!" I growled out loud, outraged that he would even dare to think such a thing. _Prove it, then,_ he responded. _I'll show you,_ I muttered mentally before leaping out into the air, hoping that I wouldn't die as a "pitiful nobody".


End file.
